Payback is Vicious
by Flashchimp
Summary: Betrayed by those she trusted the most, she left Domino with a broken heart. But now she is back and ready to make them pay. Teax?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hi guys. This is not a new story. I had this story published a long time ago, but it was recently deleted by because it didn't meet their new guidelines. So now I am uploading it again. I am not exactly sure what was wrong with it that caused it's deletion, but I have changed the rating of the story to M just to be safe. I will try my best to upload it as soon as I can, and then hopefully get started on the new chapter which is long overdue.

For those of you who are still bothering to read this story, I want to say Thank you. I really appreciate your patience and kindness.

...

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dreams_

* * *

_..._

"_Seto. You're still working?" She asked, stepping into his office. She saw him run his hand through hair in frustration and then look up._

"_Yes." He replied through seethed teeth. She was taken back at his response. She knew he was tired and sore, but why was he taking his frustrations out on her?_

"_You need rest." She walked towards him. "Let's go downstairs. I made lunch. Mokuba is already there." She said with a smile, a smile that had once captured his heart. _

"_No." He said in a cold voice, stopping her dead in her tracks. _

"_But-." She began, but he interrupted her rather rudely._

"_I. Said. NO." He hoped it would get her to leave him alone. But she was stubborn, maybe as stubborn as him. Instead of walking out of his office, she took a step closer to him._

"_Seto, what is wrong with you?" She demanded. "You've been like this for two weeks. Even Mokuba has noticed a change in your behavior."_

"_Leave my brother out of this." He said in a threatening voice. _

"_I never involved him into this. He expressed his thoughts to me. And I agree with him." A soft expression now rested on her features. "Tell me Seto, what's wrong? Did… Did I do something wrong?" She now stood before him, her hand reaching out to touch him, but he shrank away from her touch. _

"_Listen." He finally said after an uncomfortable pause. "Go downstairs for a while and I'll be there shortly." A big smile appeared on her rosy features and she moved forward to hug him. He didn't respond._

"_Ok. I'll see you downstairs." She said and happily walked out of the room._

_..._

"_Seto, you came." Mokuba said excitedly. Seto smiled at his brother, and then turned his attention to his girlfriend._

"_I'll get you a plate." She said, getting out of her seat, but he reached for her arm, stopping her._

"_No need. We are going somewhere." Seto said, the smile disappearing from his face._

"_Really? Cool." She said, making no attempt to hide her excitement. _

"_Can I come too?" Mokuba asked, equally excited._

"_No." Was Seto's reply before he walked out the door, leaving two very confused occupants behind._

_..._

"_Why are we at the Game Shop?" she cast him a confused look, but he ignored her and walked inside, where she was surprised to find everyone present._

"_What's going on?" She asked, fear rising in her chest at the looks on her friends faces. Something was wromg._

"_I need to tell you something." Seto spoke. He now stood before her, staring at her with a serious expression, much like the rest of her friends._

"_What?" She asked in a voice barely above a whisper. Something was very wrong. However, Seto only stared at her. He seemed to be having difficulty speaking, which was highly unusual for him._

"_Seto please." She begged. "What's wrong? Tell me." _

"_He doesn't love you." A voice spoke for him, a female voice. And soon, the female appeared beside Seto as well._

"_Serenity?" Tea was visibly confused at that moment. "What is going on here?"_

"_It's simple hun." Mai spoke. "He has no interest in you. He has found someone else." _

"_What?" Tea was completely baffled for a moment before anger came. "Who?" She demanded._

"_Me." Serenity spoke, and Tea noticed her entwined fingers with Seto. _

"_What?" Tea was completely confused and lost. What was going on? What did Serenity mean? Was she with Seto? But how was that possible? Seto hated her. And Serenity would never date Seto knowing that he was with Tea already._

"_Why are you… what is going on?" She asked, not being able to comprehend the situation._

"_Can't you tell?" Serenity said. "Seto and I are together. We have been secretly seeing each other for the past two weeks."_

"_What? But I don't understand." What was going on? Was this some kind of joke? This didn't make any sense. She couldn't find any reason why Seto would leave her and be with someone he proclaimed to hate. This had to be some kind of joke._

"_Listen hun." Mai said. "Male species are very impatient. If you don't give a man what he wants, he will find another source that __**will**__ give him what he wants." Tea's eyes widened in realization. Was Mai saying what she thought she was saying?_

"_Seto." Tea turned her attention to Seto again. "Is it because… because I won't sleep with you?" She asked him with fear in her eyes. His eyes remained as expressionless as ever. Anger consumed her at his heartlessness and lack of response._

"_You said you understood." She screamed at the top of her lungs. "You said you'd wait. You lied."_

"_Screaming is not going to do you any good." Mai said causally._

"_Is that why you were so grumpy with me for the past 2 weeks?" Her question was directed at Seto, but he only stared at her with an expressionless face. Serenity answered for him._

"_Yes. And we have decided that it's time to end this charade."_

"_We?" Tea nearly yelled. "You mean you all knew about this?" She pointed at all of her friend. Silence was their answer. This only elevated her anger. "I can't believe you people." She fumed. "How could you do this to me?" She waited for an answer, but was disappointed. Their blank stares pierced her heart and tears formed in her eyes._

"_Seto, how could you do this to me?" Once again, silence was her answer. "Serenity." She screamed at the young girl. "How could you do this? How could you be such a whore?" She screamed._

"_What did you call my sister?" Joey yelled. _

"_A whore." Tea yelled back. "That's what she is. She is a whore, and a slut, and a-."_

"_Shut up." Joey screamed, startling Tea. "Just shut up. I'm sick of you bad mouthing my little sister. She didn't do nothing wrong."_

"_Nothing wrong? Nothing wrong?" Tea said in disbelief. "What would you have called me if my place was switched with Serenity?" She demanded. They all seemed startled for a moment before Mai spoke._

"_Listen hun, just let it go. What's done is done."_

"_How can I let this go?" Tea said, voice choked with emotion. "Would you let go if Joey found someone else?"_

"_That is highly unlikely because unlike you, I have the looks and the skills to keep a man." Mai said arrogantly. "You should just be glad at the fact that you got to live the high life of being Kaiba's girlfriend even if it was for a couple of weeks." Tears flowed freely from Tea's eyes and she took a step towards Seto._

"_Seto, why don't you say something? Talk to me. Tell me this isn't true. Please." She begged, but he only stared at her. She tried to read his eyes, but all emotion, all expression was gone. _

"_Seto, Seto please-." She tried to speak to him again but was cut harshly by Duke._

"_Just give up already." She quickly turned to face him where he sat, twirling a lock of his hair in his hand. " Girls like you think we are in love with you or something just because we smile at you. But you fail to realize that you are just a passing fancy until someone better and worthy comes along. You are like a vermin, a parasite that, after getting a taste of popularity, want to hold on to it forever." Tea's eyes were wide at his comments. Was that what he thought of her? Was that Seto thought of her? Someone who wanted fame? "You disgust me Tea." He spat, staring her right in the eye, and all Tea could do was stand still. Words refused to leave her throat._

"_Tea." Yugi spoke for the first time since she had entered. " It's over. Just let it go before you humiliate yourself any further." His words lacked sympathy and his eyes refused to meet hers. Tea took a step back. Even Yugi had turned against was all she could take. She cast one last look at her friends. Their eyes held nothing but contempt for her. On shaking legs, she turned away from them. _

"_All is fair in love and war." Serenity voice echoed through her ears as she left the Game Shop, dejected, and defeated. _

_..._

_She stood at the airport, eyes watching the massive jet that was her salvation from this hellhole. After two weeks of crying, two weeks of suffering, she had made up her mind. She was going to leave… leave this city, leave this life, and leave everything that reminded her of her time here. Shoulders slumped, she boarded the plane. As the jet took flight, she took one last look at the place she had once called home, a place that once held so much love and so much hope for her. But now, it was nothing more than a piece of land. Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of the massive tower of Kaiba corp._

'_This isn't over.' She thought determinedly, eyes fixed upon the logo. "I won't forget this and I won't forgive any of you. I'll be back, and I'll make all of you pay.'_

'_One day.'_

'_One day.'_

With a gasp, Tea woke up, clutching the sheets tightly.

'Just a nightmare.' She thought with a relief and reached for the glass of water besides her bed. She clutched the glass in her hand, and waited. Waited, but nothing came. No heart wrenching pain. No salty tears. No feelings of loneliness. No feelings of betrayal. Nothing at all.

A bitter smile appeared on her lips.

She was ready.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" A man in his early forties asked Tea. She sighed and stopped stuffing her suitcase with clothes.

"Yes Stan. I am sure." She said, rolling her eyes at his overly-concerned attitude.

"You do realize that they will be there, and you will see them." He said in a low voice. She knew what or whom exactly he was talking about. She had told him all about her friends and her past life in Domino.

"Don't worry about it Stan." Tea said, sitting beside him on the bed. "I'll be fine."

"I hope so Tea. I really hope so." He said, getting off the bed. "I'll go see if they have the jet ready." Tea smiled in return and watched him walk out of her room.

'He worries too much.' She thought with a fond smile on her face. But she didn't mind. It was a relief knowing there was someone in this world that worried for her. Stan was perhaps the only one she could call "family." Stan returned pretty soon, ready to take her bags. She handed him one and kept one in her hand, and they walked towards out of the beautiful mansion.

"No one knows about this, right?" She asked, glancing at his solemn face as they entered a car.

"I think the news of your trip leaked out." He said plainly, and she frowned. "I think." He stressed, trying to comfort her.

"Isn't that nice." She said sarcastically and he chuckled. "It's not funny." She whined and he laughed loud.

"Don't worry. Your bodyguards will be with you. They'll make sure no one mobs you when you arrive." He assured her and she only grumbled.

Soon, the car stopped and Tea stepped out. Stan also appeared beside her.

"Listen Tea." He said in a fatherly tone, and she resisted rolling her eyes, ready for a speech. "I had to pull a lot of strings to get you two months off, so make sure you enjoy yourself." She nodded. "But also, make sure you stay clear of any trouble. And by trouble, I mean scandals." His eyes held warning and once again, she nodded.

"I'll be careful." She said and hugged him. "Thanks Stan. You're the best manager a movie star can ever have… and the best friend too." He smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"Call me when you get there." He said. She nodded and boarded the jet. Her private jet.

Things had changed for Tea Gardner in the last 4 years. She wasn't the same girl that had left Domino with a broken heart and a shattered soul. No. She was Tea Gardner, an award winning Hollywood movie star.

After arriving in New York, Tea had gotten a small job in a café in New York. She didn't have enough savings yet to get admission into Julliard, or pay fees. And now that she was living in New York, the cost of living had increased drastically. She had to work if she expected to pay the rent, let alone afford any other luxuries. She had assumed being in a city like New York would be good for her, but she was wrong. Working two jobs, took 16 hours of her day, and left her barely enough time for sleep, let alone practice her dance. And when the auditions came, her lack of practice showed, costing her her only dream. If there was a part of Tea that was still alive, it died that day, giving rise to a walking zombie.

Stress of two jobs, pain of a lost dream, and haunting memories of the old life eventually took its toll on her and led to depression. She began slacking off at work, often causing small accidents. And one of those accidents caused her the job at the café.

(Flashback)

_Tea slowly walked towards a table where a couple of boys sat chatting excitedly among each other. Watching them joke around with each other brought so many painful memories back, and she wanted nothing more than to crawl in a corner and get away from them. But duty called. As if in a daze, she placed their orders before them, not even bothering to utter a word. One guy let out a slow whistle as she bent to place his coffee before him, but she ignored him. She had lost her spark and her fighting spirit. She just didn't care anymore._

_Upon getting no response, the man grabbed her arm and jerked her back. This action caused her to fall in his lap, but also led to her arm flying across the table in an attempt to steady herself. Hot coffee fell on another guy's shirt, and he stood up, yelling profanities._

_"I'm so sorry." She immediately apologized. "I … I didn't mean it. I'm sorry."_

_"You bitch. This is a $100 shirt, the likes of what you don't have and will never have." He screamed._

_"I'm sorry." She lowered her head in shame. Everyone in the café was watching them now._

_"Sorry is not going to cut it. Pay up." He demanded. Her face went pale. She didn't have any money at all. She barely had enough to pay her rent. If she paid him, she would surely be kicked out of her apartment._

_"Please." She begged, desperately trying not to cry."I didn't mean. I… I can't… I can't afford to pay you. I'm sorry."_

_"What's going on here?" The booming voice of her manager came, and soon her appeared as well. "Gentlemen," he addressed the guys, "what is the problem?"_

_"Your employee ruined my expensive shirt. The coffee also burnt my skin. I need some sort of compensation for this." The guy said, crossing his arms over his chest._

_"Sir, I apologize for her behavior. And to make up for this misfortune, I'll do whatever is required." The manager said._

_"Fine." The man said arrogantly. "Pay me $100 for this shirt."_

_"Of course." The manager quickly said, glad that the man wasn't planning to sue them. "Here you go sir." He wrote a check and handed it to the man. "I truly apologize for this incident sir." He added again._

_"Whatever." The man said and walked out of the café with his friends. The manager took a deep breath and turned his attention to Tea._

_"I've had enough of your sad drama. You're fired." He said plainly and walked away, leaving her to stand there, looking like a fool. Slowly, she grabbed her stuff and walked out as well. Her first job was over. Maybe it will give her more time to sleep. She let out a bitter laugh._

_'Yeah. Sleep and perhaps never wake up again.' She thought bitterly. 'I wish I would just die.' Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm, pulling her towards an alley. Another hand fixed itself on her face, stopping any screams she might have planned. She kicked but the person was too strong. Soon, the person threw her in a corner. She looked up and was horrified to find the same four guys from before._

_"You think you can get away that easily after doing what you did to me?" The same man from before said. "No, I'm going to make you pay. We're all going to exact sweet payment from you." With that, he grabbed her by the arm and pushed her against the wall. She opened her mouth to scream, but his tongue swept in, choking her. The other three soon joined in, holing her arms and legs. She struggled but to no use. They were greater in number and strength. Their hand touched her everywhere, probing and molesting her body. Tears of defeat clouded her eyes at her helplessness._

_'Why is this happening to me?' She asked herself, feeling one man remove her shirt. 'What did I do wrong to get punished like this?' Another man fiddled with the zipper of her pants. Fear filled her every pore. They were planning to rape her all together. She had heard about gang rapes in New York, and also knew that not many victims survived._

_'Is this going to be my fate? To lie dead in a dark alley?' She wondered. 'At least it might bring me death. If I can just endure this, I'll be awarded with peace at last.' With that thought, her body went limp. She had given up completely. She would allow the men to do what they pleased. There was no point trying to defy it. The men noticed that and smirked._

_"So you finally realize the truth of the situation. Smart girl" One man said, smiling at her._

_"This is going to be fun." Another said excitedly, pulling his pants down. Tea didn't even bother to look at them or see what they were planning now. She just waited for it to come. She felt the man's shadow on her and closed her eyes, expecting the worst, but all she received was a gust of air and the sound of a thud. Her eyes snapped open immediately, and she saw the man on the ground, clutching his side in pain. She looked up and saw an older man, standing in a fighting stance._

_"You punks think you can play with that girl like you please? Well I'm not going to let you." He challenged them and attacked another man, kicking him square in the face. Tea only watched as he knocked out the men, one by one. Then he walked towards her, and placed his jacket on her to cover her bare form._

_"You okay?" He asked her. She only stared at him in shock. Did that just really happen? Did this man really save her virginity and possibly her life? "Are you hurt?"_

_"Why?" She whispered after a long pause. "Why did you do this?"_

_"Huh? What?" He appeared confused._

_"Why did you save me?" She said loudly, with more force this time. "Why didn't you just let them hurt me and then kill me? Why?"_

_"You can't be serious." He muttered in surprise. "Are you kidding me? You wanted to die?"_

_"YES." She screamed in frustration. "I want to die. I want to die and end all this." Sobs shook her body as she spoke. "I want to end all the pain, all the suffering. I want to be at peace. I want to sleep. I just want to sleep." Her body rocked back and forth as she cried._

_"Life is a very precious thing." He said softly to her, kneeling beside her. "You shouldn't throw it away so easily. Just think about what it will do to your loved ones." She stopped suddenly, eyes staring into space._

_"I don't have any loved ones." She whispered more to herself than to him. Her body began shaking uncontrollably and she howled. "I don't have any one. I am all alone. All alone." The man wrapped his arms comfortingly around her and said._

_"You're not alone. Not anymore."_

(End flashback)

And that was when her life took a fortunate turn for her. The man was Stan Brooks, a Hollywood agent who introduced new talents into the industry. After taking Tea into his care, he helped her find herself. He then convinced her to do a small commercial, and that's when fate finally decided to smile on her. From one commercial to music videos to modeling to movies, doors opened for her one after another. And before she knew it, she was one of the most influential and powerful celebrities in Hollywood, not to mention the young and attractive. Girls idolized her whereas men worshipped her. Girls wanted to be her, men wanted her. She had everything, from money to fame.

During her time in New York, she never once mentioned Domino. Her interviews, her profiles, everything began from her arrival in New York and onwards. Sure people knew of her hometown, but nothing more. She had told them she was alone, and never had anyone. She was strong and didn't need anyone. But even though she spoke strong words, inside she was nothing but a scared child. With all the money, fame, and fans, she lacked peace of mind. She lacked pure happiness and joy. The memories of past haunted her in the form of nightmares. To escape that, she increased her workload. But even then she could not escape her past.

It was then she realized what she was doing, or more exactly, whom she was becoming like.

'Ignoring your problems won't make them go away.' She had once said that. And now, she had forgotten her own words. The only way to find eternal salvation was to face her fears, and fight the monsters that hunted her. She would have to go back, and not just face the demons of her past, but defeat them.

"Miss Gardner." The voice of the pilot broke her chain of thoughts. "We'll be taking off soon. Please be ready." She nodded her head, a fierce look appearing in her eyes

'I'm ready.' She thought determinedly. 'And I'll make them pay.'

...

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Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dreams_

* * *

...

Darkness.

It was all around him, gripping him, suffocating him.

He wanted to run away. He wanted to get out. He stretched his arm to find his way in the dark, but was perplexed to be blocked by a solid object. It was straight and hard, like a wall, but very smooth. He retreated his hand and moved to the left, but was confronted with the same problem. Moving to the right or back produced the same outcome.

What was going on?

Was he trapped?

A blinding light illuminated juts above him, momentarily hindering his ability of sight. When his eyes finally adjusted to it, he was able to decipher his surroundings. All around him were transparent walls, encasing him in a glass case. He was elevated in the darkness by an unknown force.

What the hell was this?

He wanted to yell in agitation, but found that he couldn't. He had no voice. He was mute. Before he cold ponder over the absurdity of the situation, something caught his eyes.

A figure stood in front of him, bathed in the very same darkness that engulfed his surroundings. Only the outline of the figure was faintly visible, allowing him to understand that the person was a male, a very tall and lean male.

But who?

He was standing sideways to him, his gaze focused on something in distance, something that was moving.

But what?

It was getting very frustrating for him. He was trapped in a glass case that was impermeable to air, yet he was breathing perfectly. However, he couldn't speak. And with him, in the fortress of darkness, was a man who was staring off in distance.

Weird.

With nothing better to do, he also turned his head in the direction that held the man's gaze, and was surprised to see a ray of light that was moving. Slowly, the ray of light moved closer and closer, and he was able to see that it was actually illuminating someone's path. A girl, he guessed from her figure. She was running towards the man, her path being illuminated by the light. As she neared his prison, he was able to see her face.

It was _her_.

He couldn't believe it. It really was her.

He watched as she threw herself in the awaiting man's arms, who captured her and held her close. Watching her in that man's arms caused his blood to boil in rage, and heart to wrench in longing. The light now shone upon them, acting like a spotlight. They stayed still, embraced in each other's arms until she pulled away to gaze lovingly at him. The light allowed him to see the face of the man and he was utterly shocked to find that it was him. He, Seto Kaiba, was the person holding her so tenderly.

But that was ludicrous.

He was trapped in the glass case. How could he be there as well? It didn't make any sense. But then again, nothing he had seen so far had made sense.

"I love you." His eyes widened as she whispered those words to him, and buried her face in his chest again. What shocked him more was his reaction to it. He watched as he roughly pushed her away. She stared at him in shock. Her hand reached out to touch him, but stopped short.

Another female had appeared beside him. Her hazel eyes shot a triumphant look at her. She retreated away from the duo, pain reflecting in her crystal eyes.

"Why?" She asked him, body threatening to shake with sobs. He only stood there, watching.

"You said you understood." She screamed with accusing eyes. "You lied. You-." Dark figures had erupted from the darkness around them and surrounded her. She retreated, fear overtaking her beautiful face.

"What… what is going on?" She asked in a frightened voice. "What are you all-?" A stone hit her square on the forehead. She screamed in pain, and the figures let out a dark, shrill laugh. He leapt to his feet, trying to reach out to her, trying to help her, trying to protect her. But the glass case prison stopped any actions, and he was left to just stand there and watch. And he did watch. He watched as they threw stones at her, one after another. And he felt every one of them. He felt every blow that she felt, every sting, and every scratch.

"Stop." She screamed. "Stop. It hurts. It hurts." But they didn't. They kept going, hitting her again and again.

"Help me." Her pain-streaked voice pierced his heart, and he banged his fists on the glass walls.

Help her. Someone help her, he wanted to scream. But his voice betrayed him again, refusing to come out. He glared at his clone standing not too far, and just watching. Why wasn't he doing anything? Why? He couldn't be that heartless.

He turned his gaze back to her. Her screams were fading, or maybe he was getting accustomed to hearing them. Soon after, the figures stopped their brutal assault and stepped away, revealing their horrific masterpiece.

Kneeling on the floor, covered in her own blood, she sobbed. Small, red drops trickled down her face and disappeared into the puddle of blood around her.

"Why?" Her voice was a whisper, laced with pain. "Why did you do this to me?" She slowly lifted her face and he gasped in horror. The drops that had trickled into the puddle of blood hadn't appeared from the wound on her forehead. No, that was just a gash. The blood was from tears.

She was crying blood tears.

"How could you do this to me?" She asked again, more tears leaving red trails on her cheeks. His heart wrenched in pain as he stared helplessly at her beaten form. He glared at his clone again, who had stood silently, watching the barbaric ordeal take place. What was wrong with him? Why had he been so heartless?

"I loved you." She whispered again, more to herself then to him. "And you betrayed me. You hurt me." With accusing eyes, she glared at him. "I… I-." She never got an opportunity to finish. The puddle of blood below her was bubbling. It was swallowing her body. His heartbeat increased dramatically.

What was going on?

She tried to stand up, but she was already sunk up to her waist. She struggled to get out, but some unknown force kept pulling her deeper and deeper. She screamed in fear and struggled desperately.

"Help me. Someone help me. Please." She begged, flaying her arms in futile attempts to help her. Inside his prison, he struggled like a rabid animal, banging his shoulders against the case, trying to break free. He had to get to her. He had to help her. When she realized that her efforts were proving fruitless, she turned to them.

"Please, I beg you, help me." Blood tears were flowing more frequently, covering her whole face in blood. "I am afraid." She admitted, sobbing helplessly. Her body sunk in to her chest. He let out an animalistic grown of frustration and violently kicked and screamed. Moisture formed at the corner of his eyes as he watched her disappear.

No. He thought determinedly. I won't let her disappear. I won't let her. With all his might, he bumped into the glass wall, not caring about the pain. His glass prison shattered in a million pieces, the shards piercing his body everywhere. But he didn't care. He raced towards the puddle of blood, towards her. Maybe if he reached there in time, he could rescue her. Maybe he could pull her out. Leaving bloody trails behind, he ran and ran. But was blocked by the dark figures. They stood in his way, blocking his view of her

"I'm scared." Her defeated voice reached his ears again, and he tried to see past the figures. Her shoulders were now covered in her own blood. He was losing her. He violently pushed them away, not caring who he pushed or where they went. He just wanted to get to her. He went through them, one by one, until only one stood before him.

He himself.

"I don't want to be alone." Her chin was now soaking red with blood, but it wasn't the end. He knew what was coming, and he knew he had to act fast. He glared at the replica of himself blocking his way. He tried to hit him, but he knew himself well and managed to dodge easily.

"I don't want to-." Her words were swallowed by the puddle, as was the last trace of her body. His heart stopped beating. Utter silence conquered the darkness.

"NO." He screamed, his vocal chords straining to produce such a high volume. He stared at the cowardly clone of himself, one who had done nothing to save her. Her disappearing face appeared in his mind, and an unknown power surged through him. With an enraged growl, he punched his clone in the face, knocking him few feet away from him. Then he turned to the puddle of blood. He was shocked to discover that the puddle of blood was disappearing as well, draining, like water in a sink.

"No. I won't let it." He said with determination, not even noticing the fact that he could speak

Only a few drops remained. He had no time left. He ran towards it, ignoring the pain shooting through his entire body. Just when he was within reach, someone grabbed his leg and tripped him. He fell, face first, just a few inches short of the blood puddle. And right before his eyes, the last drop of blood disappeared, leaving nothing but darkness.

"No." He whispered, tears falling from his eyes. "Please no." He turned to his clone, which now had a smug smile on his face. Very slowly, his replica dissolved into the darkness, leaving him alone in his misery.

"NOOO."

With a gasp, Seto woke up. He carefully analyzed his surroundings. One look revealed that he was in his room. He sighed and ran a sweaty hand through his damp hair.

A nightmare. It was just a nightmare.

The very same nightmare that had plagued his nights for 4 years.

'Damn her.' He cursed and got out of bed. There was no point attempting to sleep now. Even if he tried, he knew he wouldn't be able to shut his eyes without having the horrendous images flashing before his eyes.

'I need a cold shower.' He walked towards his bathroom, not even bothering to spare a glance to the other occupant in the room. After satisfying himself and shaking off his sleep, he came out, dressed and ready for work. That's when his eyes went towards his bed, where a naked figure was sprawled.

Serenity.

During his awakening, he had tossed the sheets off her body as well. With a disgusted look in his eyes, he walked towards her and covered her form with the sheets. He had seen enough of her last night, and didn't want to ruin his mood so early in the morning.

He walked downstairs, towards the kitchen. It was early in the morning and most servants were still asleep.

"Good morning Mr. Kaiba." Everyone, except one. Rosa, a 53-year-old woman. Seto nodded to acknowledge her and sat on the chair. Rosa placed his coffee before him, and went back to doing what she was doing.

"Where is my paper?" Seto inquired, looking around the kitchen. Every morning, Rosa placed his newspaper before his seat, but today, it seemed she had forgotten.

"Young master has it." Rosa said, and Seto's eyes widened.

"Mokuba?" Shock was evident in his voice, and Rosa didn't fail to notice it.

"Yes." She said, placing a pancake on a plate before him. "He was up early, even before me, waiting for the paper. And he took it to his room as soon as it arrived."

"Did you ask why?"

"No. He ran back too fast. I will ask when he comes down for breakfast." As soon as Rosa finished, Mokuba's voice was heard.

"And I say to myself." Their heads turned towards the staircase, where Mokuba was singing and hopping down the stairs.

"What a wonderful world." He finished his song with an ungraceful spin and jump on the floor.

"Good morning Rosa." Mokuba said cheerfully, coming in the kitchen. He immediately turned his back to his brother and stood beside Rosa.

"Morning young master." Rosa said with a pleasant smile.

"Pancakes?" Mokuba said, catching a whiff of the delicious aroma. "Today really is perfect."

"Can I ask what's so special about today?" Rosa asked casually.

"Of course." Mokuba said, plopping a piece of pancake in his mouth. "Today, I get to meet a very special friend of mine after a long time."

"That friend must be very special to bring you such joy." Rosa commented.

"Oh she's special all right." Mokuba said, eating more. Seto, who was listening, raised an eyebrow.

"So the friend is a SHE." Rosa said. Mokuba smiled sheepishly.

"I said that?" Then shrugged his shoulders. "Well, yeah. It's a _she_. And she's _very_ special."

"And who is this _special female_ friend of yours?" Seto spoke for the first time. Mokuba's body went erect the moment Seto's voice reached his ears. Rosa sighed and turned towards the stove again.

"Well?" Seto pressed, keeping his voice and facial expression neutral.

"That. Is. None. Of your. Business." Mokuba spat in a venomous tone, causing Rosa to cringe. This was going to get ugly. Before Seto could speak, Mokuba turned and placed his plate on the counter.

"I'm out of here." He said, walking out.

"But master Mokuba, your breakfast?" Rosa called out in concern.

"I'll get something on my way." Mokuba replied stiffly and walked out of the house. Rosa sighed and turned to the older Kaiba.

"Are you ok Mr. Kaiba?" She asked. Seto only glared with anger.

"Do your work." He spat. Sipping his coffee, he stood up and walked outside, stepping into his limo. He couldn't stand to be in the same room as her.

Rosa.

She had the kind of relationship with Mokuba that Seto once had. The kind of relationship he had lost. The kind of relationship he wanted, but knew he would never have. And all because of _her_.

(Flashback)

_Mokuba heard the door open and ran downstairs. Seto and Tea were back, and he couldn't wait to see them. Every time Tea went out, she always brought something for him. Whether it was a video game or a piece of candy, something always awaited him. But when he reached the bottom of stairs, he was surprised to see only Seto, and two of their bodyguards._

_"Seto, where is Tea?" He asked in a confused voice._

_"She's not coming." Seto said calmly._

_"But why? She doesn't have any dance practice today. Plus she promised to spend the day with me. And she never breaks a promise to me."_

_"She won't be coming here anymore." Seto said and motioned the guards to go ahead. The men started walking up stairs, much to Mokuba's confusion._

_"Seto, what's going on? Why won't she be coming here?" Just then, Serenity appeared besides Seto._

_"Wow, your house is big." She said with amazement._

_"What is she doing here?" Mokuba was completely lost. Seto hated Wheelers, and Serenity was a Wheeler. Upon hearing a sound behind him, he turned around to find the men carrying various items in their arms. He immediately recognized it as Tea's stuff._

_"Hey, where are you taking that?" Mokuba yelled, running back upstairs and trying to get it from their arms. The men struggled to keep it all, and in the struggle, the arm of a ballerina alarm clock broke off into Mokuba's hand._

_"Mokuba stop." Seto commanded. "Tea will not be coming here."_

_"But why?" Mokuba asked again. It was then he noticed Serenity holding Seto's arm. He was young, but not stupid. He knew what was going on._

_"You broke up with her?" He said in a shocked tone. "Because of her?" He pointed accusingly at Serenity._

_"Yes." Seto said after a short pause._

_"I can't believe you." Mokuba said in an angry tone. "Why did you do that?"_

_"It wasn't working. And I found someone better." Seto said, and Serenity beamed._

_"Have you lost your mind?" Mokuba yelled. "Tea is better than any girl you'll ever meet. And Serenity? She is a Wheeler. You hate her." Seto didn't respond. Tears formed in Mokuba's eyes when he realized his brother wasn't going to do anything._

_"Tea was my friend… my best friend." He whispered, holding the arm of crystal ballerina to his chest. "And you hurt her because of that… that bitch." Serenity gasped in horror at Mokuba's choice of words. Even Seto appeared surprised, before his eyes hardened._

_"Mokuba." He said in a deadly voice. "Apologize to her right now."_

_"No." Mokuba said defiantly and took a step back up the stairs. "I won't apologize because that's what she is. A bitch." He turned around and marched upstairs._

_"She's a bitch. A bitch. A bitch. A bitch. A bitch." He yelled with every step. When at the top of the staircase, he turned around and glared at them._

_"I hate her." He said in a venomous tone. "And I hate you too."_

(End flashback)

Since that day, things had changed dramatically between the two brothers. Mokuba had been quite angry that day, and had locked himself in the room. He didn't come out to eat or drink. Seto tried numerous times, but Mokuba didn't budge. For two days, Mokuba remained secluded. When he finally emerged, he refused to even look at his brother, let alone to speak to him. He didn't even remain in the same room as him. He became a complete stranger to Seto.

He knew Mokuba was hurt, and needed a shoulder of support. That's when Rosa came into the picture. Seto hired her so she could be someone Mokuba could talk to, someone Mokuba could turn to, someone who would take care of Mokuba. And Rosa did all that, to an extent that she earned Seto's envy. Now, she was Mokuba's friend, Mokuba's caretaker, and Mokuba's secret keeper. He talked with her, joked with her, and laughed with her, things Seto longed for.

He could just easily fire her and be rid of her. But that was not possible. If he took her away, Mokuba would surely leave the house, as he had threatened before. Plus, Seto needed Rosa to keep him informed of Mokuba's life. She was his only link to knowing what was going on in his little brother's life.

The limo stopped and he stepped out. He had a feeling today was going to be a long day.

He entered the office with a scowl on his face, his coat bellowing behind him, but was utterly shocked to find the receptionist missing. She was always at her desk, ready to greet him. But today, she wasn't there. And that wasn't all. No other employee was in sight either.

"Where is everyone?" Seta said out loud, hoping someone would hear him and come. But no such luck. What the hell was going on here? He heard voices, coming from the main lobby. Scowling, he made his way there, and was shocked to find probably the entire employee population standing before the jumbo screen.

"What the hell is going on here?" He demanded in a commanding tone. Immediately, Roland appeared, sweating at the sight on his angry boss.

"Sir, you have arrived." He said, fiddling to wipe his forehead.

"Yes." Seto replied through clenched teeth. "Why are you all here, and not working?"

Everyone turned to him, their faces pale with fear. Before Seto could get his answer, someone yelled excitedly.

"There she is. It's her." They all turned to the jumbo screen, excited murmurs filling the air. Seto growled at being ignored and also turned to the screen, wanting to see what the commotion was all about. What he saw caused his toes to curl in shock. Smiling and laughing on the jumbo screen was none there then _her_.

"Tea Gardner."

...

* * *

Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** I changed the name of the story. I was recently informed by Dawn17 that using the word "Bitch" in the title might have been the cause of my story's deletion. So I have changed the name, but not completely since this is an old story and many readers recognize it by the old name.

...

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

_..._

"Tea." A familiar voice broke through the silence, but she ignored it. She wasn't in the mood to talk right now. She wanted silence.

"Tea, wake up." The person had the nerve to grab her shoulders and shake her body. Grunting in anger, she opened her eyes and stared at a familiar face.

"Joshua, why are you bothering me? Let me sleep." She whined, turning her body away from a 25-year-old male. He had lime green hair that he had styled in spikes, and gray eyes.

"There's no time for you to sleep. We have landed, and I think you should take a look at your reception." Joshua, her body guard/ friend said, pulling her off the seat. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes and followed him to the window. What she saw below caused her eyes to open wide. Swarms of people lined both sides of the runway, forming two rows. They held signs, and posters with her pictures and name.

"What the hell?" She said in bewilderment. Joshua shrugged his shoulders. Another man standing behind them spoke. He had blonde hair and green eyes, and appeared to be the same age as Joshua. Steven was his name. He was also her body guard/ friend.

"Apparently your fans have taken over the airport." He said in a plain tone. "How they managed to do that is baffling. They were blocking the runway, but we managed to get some place cleared for the plane to land."

"Really?" She said in shock. "You're serious?"

"Does Steven ever joke?" Joshua said, earning a glare from the serious male.

"Wow." Tea said, still not believing her eyes. She knew she had fans in North America, and possibly Europe, but in Japan as well? And so many?

"Come on." Joshua said. "We should probably get down there and greet them." Tea and Steven nodded their heads.

The crowd went up in cheers as the door of the jet opened and Tea stepped out. Various flashes temporarily blinded her vision, but she managed to adjust quickly, having gotten quite used to it in the past few years. As soon as she stepped on the ground, hoards of reporters surrounded her.

"Miss Tea, over here."

"Over here Tea.

They all screamed, trying to get her attention. Joshua and Steven, being the skilled and strong body guards they were, pushed people away, managing Tea some amount of space. Tea smiled and waved at her fans who were busy screaming her name. Tea walked to some fans and signed autographs. The reporters around her continued to try to get her to respond.

"Miss Tea, I'm from Domino Entertainment. One minute please." A young woman on Tea's left said. Tea turned her head in her direction and smiled.

"Domino Entertainment?" She repeated to confirm. The woman nodded. "You know I used to read your magazine when I lived here." She said with a smile as she signed a huge poster of herself.

"Then maybe you can spare a few moments to answer some questions for our readers?" The woman said, trying to coax Tea into giving an interview. Tea nodded her head.

"Of course." She said, taking a picture with a screaming fan.

"Thank you so much Miss Tea." The woman said graciously. "Well, first of all, let me say that we are very happy to have you here in Domino." The crowd cheered.

"Thanks." Tea said smiling. It's good to be back here."

"So, what is your primary reason to come back?" At this, Tea raised an eyebrow.

"You have been in USA for 4 years and never once made a trip to Domino. Why now all of a sudden?" Tea smiled professionally and answered.

"Did you not want me to come?" She said slyly and the woman paled slightly. People booed.

"No, no. I mean, what compelled your decision to come to your hometown? What drew you back?" The woman tried again.

"The whole city." Tea replied. "I spent so many years of my life here. My past is here and I came to reconcile with it. But I must say, I'm very surprised to see so many people here. I didn't know I had so many fans in Domino. If I knew, I'd have been here years ago." The crowd went up in cheers again.

"As you can see, Domino loves you." The reporter said.

"Yeah. I see." She said as people screamed around her.

"Over here." More people, fans and reporters, tried to get her attention.

"I love you."

"You're hot." People screamed all around her and she only laughed.

"Can I get a hug?" A familiar voice caused her to sharply turn her head in that direction and immediately, her eyes widened.

"Mokuba?" She squealed in joy and hugged a young man standing in the crowd. Immediately, the cameras followed her and focused on the young Kaiba, now embraced in Tea's arms. They stayed embraced for a while, earning suspicious looks and quick scribbles from the reporters around them, but neither were aware , nor cared. When they pulled apart, both were smiling.

"I can't believe you finally came." Mokuba said, holding her hands in his.

"You invite me and I don't come. That can never happen." She said with a smile. "Plus, I was dying to personally see this handsome face of yours." He laughed.

"Sure." He rolled his eyes. Just then, the reporters surrounded them again.

"Mr. Mokuba, you know Tea Gardner?"

"How long have you known each other?"

"What is your relationship?" Mokuba held his hands up, trying to silence the annoying questions.

"Tea is my friend. We have known each other for many years, even before she left for America." Mokuba answered as pens scribbled. "And just like you, I haven't seen her in a long time. So if you don't mind, I'd like to take my friend to a restful place, away from all this." With that, he grabbed her arm and began dragging her away from the screaming crowd. Her guards, now accompanied by a few of Mokuba's, pushed the reporters and people back, giving the them enough time and space to get in a car and leave.

...

"Mokuba?" Seto whispered in utter shock. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Master Mokuba knows the famous Tea Gardner." Whispers filled the air around him as people commented.

"I don't believe it." Someone said. "He has never spoken about her, and she never mentioned him in her interviews either."

But Seto knew it was true. Mokuba knew Tea well. He knew her _very_ well. Seto's eyes hardened as their morning's conversation replayed in his head.

'_A special female friend._' He thought. Well now he knew whom Mokuba was referring to. His eyes, now narrowed into jealous slits, turned away from the screen, and he walked towards his office. He needed to be alone. He entered his office and slammed the door behind him.

"Damn it." He yelled, punching his desk in frustration. "Damn it, damn it, damn it." He swore again and again. Why the hell would Mokuba do that? Why would he do such a thing? He knew he could rack his brains all he wanted, but there was only one possible way to get the answer. He would have to confront Mokuba.

* * *

The house was eerily quiet as Mokuba entered, but then again, he had expected that. He shrugged his shoulders and began walking towards his room, when a voice stopped him.

"Where were you?" Surprise, surprise. It was Seto.

"Why does it concern you?" Mokuba answered acidly.

"Whether you like it or not, I'm your brother. I have the right to know where you have spent the whole day." Seto replied with authority.

"Fine. I was with a friend." Mokuba replied.

"Who?" Seto asked, his shaking voice betraying his calm face.

"You know who so stop bothering me." Mokuba said in an irritated voice and turned towards the stairs again , when Seto grabbed his shoulder and turned Mokuba to face him.

"Why the hell were you with her?" Seto said, voice laced with anger.

"Why the hell do you care?" Mokuba countered, glaring at his brother. Seto didn't reply, only glared at his brother. Mokuba glared back defiantly.

"Why didn't you tell me that you have been in contact with her all this time?" He finally yelled, losing all his calm.

"What would you have done if you knew?" Mokuba questioned in a very calm voice, catching Seto off guard.

"Wh… what?" Seto whispered, taking a step back from him.

"What would you have done if you knew Seto?" Mokuba repeated in a louder voice. "What would you have done? Would you have talked to her? Would you have yelled at her for corrupting you little brother? Would you yelled at her for ruining your life? Would you have told her how happy we were without her and told her to leave me alone?" With every question, Seto took a step back, away from his raging brother.

"Or would you have done the opposite? Maybe you would have told her that you had made a big mistake of losing her, realizing it only after she was gone from your life. And that you thought about her every day. That you missed her, and still have feelings for her." Seto's eyes were wide, in shock or pain, Mokuba wasn't too sure.

"Tell me Seto, do you even know what you would have done?" He turned away from Seto and walked up the stairs, into is room, leaving the older Kaiba to ponder over the questions.

* * *

_We, the honorable council of Domino Arts Theatre, along with the Mayor of Domino, cordially invite you to join us to celebrate the arrival of Miss Tea Gardner. We would be honored to have you with us._

_Venue: Hotel Le Cheateu_

_Time: 7:00 pm._

_Please bring the invitation with you._

"Bull shit." Mai grumbled as she crumpled the invitation and threw it on the floor.

"Mai." Serenity gasped and held up the paper, trying to straighten it.

"I can't believe this. The whole city is going nuts over her highness." Mai said with jealousy. "A ceremony in her honor? And the mayor is holding it? What crap."

"What are we going to do Mai?" Serenity asked worriedly.

"We are going to go to the party and welcome our old friend." Mai said, eyes showing determination.

"But Mai, shouldn't we boycott it to show her that we don't care?" Serenity said.

"It will show her that we are afraid of her and don't want to confront her." Mai said. "The best thing for us to do is go and show her that we are happy without her, and crush any hopes she has of getting us to take her back. She thinks that we will cower before her and beg her forgiveness, but she is in for a rude awakening."

"Mai, I'm worried." Serenity said. "Seto hasn't said a word ever since the day she arrived. I tried to get him to come to bed, but he won't even look at me. I'm really scared."

"Ss he going?" Mai asked.

"I don't know. We haven't talked." Serenity said.

"That's how the others are acting as well" Mai said with a frown. "But no matter. We will go to the party. You get Kaiba to come as well. I'm sure seeing you and Kaiba together will open old wounds and show her that she is not wanted."

* * *

"Come on Seto, let's go." Serenity's voice shook him out of his thoughts. He placed the picture back in the drawer, locked it, and after making sure it was secure, stepped out of his office. He spotted her standing at the bottom of the stairs, wearing a revealing red dress. It didn't' take him more than a millisecond to realize that this was another one of Serene-Valentine pieces, designed by Serenity and Mai.

"How do I look?" She asked with a hopeful smile. He grunted and walked out of the mansion, her following him like the dog she was. The limo ride was silent, tension high in the atmosphere. He knew she was nervous about seeing Tea, but what did he feel? Was he excited? Was he nervous? Was he happy? Was he angry?

What did he feel?

The limo came to a stop and the amount of chatter outside told him they had arrived at the right spot. Putting on an impassive façade, he stepped out of the limo, holding his hand out to Serenity who held it and stepped out as gracefully as she could. The cameras flashed discretely around them, as they walked the red carpet placed at the entrance. Serenity posed for the cameras, latching herself on his arm to show their love. Seto, however, grew tired of this falsity, and walked away from her, leaving her alone in the spotlight and attention she craved so much. His eyes scanned the area to see familiar faces. He found some, but not the ones he longed to see. Groaning, he walked towards them, knowing that he would have to sit with them. He seated himself beside Yugi, who looked quite uncomfortable. Duke and Tristan sat on the other side, looking displeased as well. Wheeler and his bitch were missing, but Seto knew it was only a matter of time before they joined them as well. And his prediction came true. He soon saw Mai and Serenity walking together, Joey following them, looking sour. The two women were whispering among each other, planning something. When they spotted him, they increased their pace.

"I can't believe you." Serenity fumed and sat beside him. "You left me, just like that. It looked so bad, me just standing there all alone. You could have told me, or dragged me with you. Everyone was looking at me weirdly." Seto turned his head away, not wanting to listen to her chatter.

"Seto, answer me." She screeched. He was about to when a wave of excitement went through the crowd. And naturally, their heads turned in the direction. It was safe to say they didn't expect to find what they saw.

Tea walked down the carpet, her arm linked with Mokuba's. She was wearing a beautiful white dress. The fabric appeared smooth, like silk, and covered her chest. It reached up to her knees, covering them. There was a simple black belt around the waist. It was simple and elegant. Beside her, Mokuba walked, wearing a simple black tux, and looking all the more handsome. He had a smug smirk on his face as he led her into the hall.

Cameras were flashing. People were going wild with excitement, using their camera-phones to snap pictures of the two. Reporters were struggling to get past the security and question the couple. But only a few representatives from famous magazines and channels were allowed to cover the event. And as soon as they caught a hold of the two, questions were bombarded.

"Are you two dating?"

"How long have you two been together?"

"Mr. Mokuba, isn't Miss Tea older than you?"

"Mr. Mokuba…"

"Miss Tea…"

Mokuba and Tea, as practiced, only smiled and continued their descent into the hall, where they were greeted by the Mayor and the Arts Council.

"Miss Tea, were are so glad to have you here." The mayor said, taking her hand. He seemed to be a man in his mid-forties. She smiled and replied.

"I am actually honored that you are throwing a party for me."

"It is also an opportunity for us to have some fun and meet high status celebrities like you." The mayor said good-naturedly and she let out a chuckle.

"Please, let me introduce you to some of our local celebrities." The mayor said and led her towards a table full of familiar faces. Tea followed obediently, still holding on to Mokuba's arm.

"Let me introduce you to Mr. Duke Devlin. He is the creator of Dungeon Dice Monsters, but you probably know that." A smirk appeared on her face.

"Ah yes of course." She said with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Who doesn't know him? His game is becoming quite popular in U.S. as well." Duke stared at her with confusion and her smile widened.

"And over here are Mr. Tristan Taylor and Mr. Joey Wheeler." The mayor continued, oblivious to the tension in the air. "They own a showroom together."

"Really?" Tea said with surprise. "I am planning to buy a car for the time being I'll spend here. I mean, I can't go around in a limo everywhere. Maybe I'll visit them and they can help me out?" She finished innocently, batting her eyelashes at the Mayor, who blushed.

"Of… of course." He said, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Oh, that would be absolutely sweet." She squealed with fake excitement. Mokuba smirked widely besides her while Joey and Tristen glared at her.

"This lovely lade here," the Mayor said, pointing to Mai, "is Miss Mai Valentine. She is a world famous duelist, and is a dress designer."

"The dress she is wearing is designed by her." Mokuba added with a smirk. Tea eyed Mai's outfit. A deep purple dress that barely covered her breasts and she was sure it was backless. It reached up to her ankles, but had a slit on one side that revealed her entire leg.

"Oh, I can tell it is her creation." Tea said with a smirk, earning a glare from Mai. She only winked coyly in response.

"And this is Miss Serenity Wheeler. She is Miss Valentine's partner. Their designs are called _Serene Valentine_." Tea nodded, eyeing Serenity up and down.

"And I'll bet she is also wearing one of her own creations." Tea said slyly. The Mayor nodded.

"She is also Mr. Seto Kaiba's girlfriend." Mokuba piped in again, earning a sharp glare from his older brother.

"Which brings us to the person next in line." The Mayor continued. "The famous Mr. Kaiba. He is a powerful businessman, but then again, Mr. Mokuba might have told you that already."

"He doesn't have to tell me." Tea said in a calm voice as she faced Seto. "I knew it myself. I have heard a lot about Mr. Kaiba's business intuition."

"you're right about that." Mokuba said. "He makes _excellent_ use of his intuition in real life as well, making _valuable_ decisions."

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure he does." Tea said. Her eyes drilled holes into his as she spoke.

"And the last person I'd like to introduce is the Game King, Yugi Motou. He owns a card game shop in Domino, and is the leading shareholder of Industrial Illusions. He also tests and designs cards for the company." The Mayor said, ignoring the heated exchange between the pair. Tea turned towards Yugi, who kept his head down, not meeting her gaze.

"He seems quite humble for all his impressive accomplishments." She said, twisting her head comically to stare into his face, but he turned his head away. "I think he is very shy."

"Or maybe, he is hiding something." Mokuba said cheekily. Yugi cringed at the words, but didn't look up. The Mayor was about to speak, but stopped, turning his head in the other direction to address someone.

"I'll have to leave you for a while." He said sheepishly to Tea. "There is a matter I must attend to."

"Please, take your time." Tea said. The Mayor smiled graciously and walked away. As soon as he was out of earshot, Mai spoke.

"What the hell do you want?" Tea smirked.

"So you have finally bared your claws. Took you long enough."

"Shut up." It was Serenity who had spoken.

"So you do have a voice that you use." Tea turned towards the small girl now. "And here I thought all you ever used was your vagina." Mokuba let out a laugh and wiped an imaginary tear.

"That was funny. I never thought of that." Tea beamed at him. Serenity let out a shrill but muffled scream.

"How dare you?" she said, trying to restrain herself from yelling.

"Don't pay too much mind to it Serenity." Mai said in a calm voice. "She's just jealous of you. After all, her boyfriend dumped her for you." She thought her words would cause some kind of a painful reaction in inTea, but she was disappointed. Tea only smiled.

"That brings back memories. But I'm glad that happened." She said much to everyone's surprise, especially Seto's. "Because I got to know what a horny bastard Kaiba really is, and what a slut she is."

"You bitch." Serenity spat.

"You can deny it all you want, but we all know how you really feel." Mai said confidently. "You are pathetic. You lost the older Kaiba so you moved on to the younger one. How disgusting."

"What is disgusting is the shameless display of skin that you are." Tea said. "You look like a figment of a perverted teen's hormone driven imagination. Seriously Mai, I thought you were making money now. Don't you make enough to buy a decent piece of cloth, or do you prefer flashing your assets to everyone? I guess you have the liberty and power to do it since you are the designer, but at least think of the people who have to suffer looking at you.."

"This is better than anything you can design you talentless bitch." Serenity said. Tea shook her head.

"Now, now Serenity, this is not how you talk to those superior to you." She chided.

"Superior? And you?" Mai snorted. "In your dreams."

"In reality." Tea said in a serious voice. "I'm better than you in every aspect, and I can prove it."

"Oh yeah. Then prove it." Mai challenged. "Prove your superiority over me by defeating me."

"In a stripping contest?" Tea inquired sarcastically. "I'll hand you the victory without a competition."

"No bitch. In a duel." Mai said and Tea rolled her eyes.

"You guys still settle everything by dueling?" She scrunched up her face and spoke in a mocking tone.

"Oh, I want to screw Mai. No, I want to screw Mai. I know how we can decide. By dueling." She finished in a dramatized tone, earning another snicker from Mokuba.

"You are only saying that because you are scared. You know how pathetic you are, and don't want to humiliate yourself on national TV." Serenity said confidently.

"Coming from you, it's just weird." Tea said and turned towards Mai again. "Fine, I'll duel you but just to shut you up."

"We'll see whose mouth is shut after this. Joey, get my duel disk from the car." Mai said confidently.

"You keep it in your car?" Tea said in an amazed tone. "You really have a weird life." Mai was about to reply, but Tea turned away and walked towards the Mayor, who was busy speaking to a member of the Arts Council.

"Excuse me, Mr. Mayor." Tea said kindly. "I was just speaking with Miss Valentine, and we thought it would be a good idea if we could have a duel here. Would you be ok with it?"

"Of course." The mayor said excitedly. "Who will be dueling, Mr. Kaiba and Mr. Motou?"

"Actually, Miss Valentine and myself will be competing against each other." Tea smiled.

"What… why?" The Mayor seemed at a loss of words. "But you are our guest. You… you shouldn't…"

"But I want to." Tea insisted. "Plus, I think it will make a unique event, don't you think?"The Mayor seemed unsure, but the man beside him spoke.

"That would be great. We have seen you excel in all forms of entertainment, so why not dueling?"

"Great." Tea squealed with joy. "Now I just need a duel disk."

"I…" The man spoke hesitantly, a blush on his face. "I have one in my car. It belongs to my son. I can get it for you if you want."

"I'd appreciate it." Tea said smiling at him. The man blushed more and immediately ran towards the door. Tea smirked at the power she had over men. She could get them to do anything she wanted, by just a pout of her lips. She wondered if it was her looks or her status as a celebrity. Either way, it worked for her and she liked the power. And it was time to use this power. She began moving a chair, Mokuba helping her of course. Many people around her approached her, questioning her motives.

"Well, I am going to have a duel here, and I thought it would be great to clear the area." As soon as the words had left her lips, men rushed over to help her. She moved back and smirked. It was just too easy. She took out her cell phone and made a small call. By the time the center of the hall had been cleared, the man came back, holding a duel disk in his hand. She took it with a thanks, and waited. Soon, a man with lime green hair entered the hall. He was wearing a simple T-shirt with "NY" stitched on it, and jeans shorts. He whispered in her ear and gave her a small package. She nodded her head and watched him disappear into the excited crowd. Then she turned towards Mai.

"All right Mai, let's do this." Mai smirked and walked towards her, her stride dripping with arrogance and confidence. Obviously, she thought she was going to win. But not if Tea had anything to do about it. They shuffled the decks and placed them in their respective duel disks.

"If you think you stand a chance against me, you're dead wrong." Mai warned her. "Your victory in Duelist Kingdom was pity from me and nothing more." Tea smirked.

"That was your choice Mai. Unfortunately for you, I won't do the same."

"That won't happen, not even in your wildest fantasies." Mai said through seethed teeth, and Tea only smirked. Around them, reporters scribbled on their pads, ready to write a juicy story about the heated rivalry.

"Well, do we have to flip a coin to see who goes first?" Mai asked sarcastically. Tea opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a shrill ring. She immediately took out her cell phone and held it to her ear. Behind her, Mai rolled her eyes and mouthed something to the Serenity, which was interpreted by the reporters. Tea was completely oblivious to the happenings behind her, and the cameras that were recording her every move.

"Hello." She said cautiously. Whatever she heard on the other line caused a beautiful smile to appear on her lips.

"Hi, I left a message for you. Did you get it?" Her voice held joy and excitement, which did not go unnoticed by the people around her, especially Seto.

'She used to smile for me like that.' He thought sadly. A silence, in which the other person spoke, and then Tea giggled. Seto's heart wrenched again.

"If you want to see me, turn your TV to channel 147." She said. Another giggle and then she waved at the camera. "How do I look? Silence, followed by another smile.

"Yeah. I'm about to duel Mai Valentine." What she listened to next caused the smile to be replaced by a frown. Pens scribbled around her furiously.

"I know that." She said in an irritated voice. "I just wanted-." She was cut off again, but this time, by Mai.

"I'm sure this is a _very important_ call, but can we get back to the duel? Or would you like to reschedule it when you have free time?" Her mocking tone got a snicker from Serenity.

"You know what Mai, this call _is_ important, but I'm not going to use it as an excuse to spare you." Whispers filled the air. Tea turned back to the phone.

"Listen, can I call you later. I need to do this first." She listened, and suddenly, her smile was back.

"Thanks, I knew you'd understand. I'll call you in 2 minutes." With that she hung up and turned to Mai.

"Let's do this. I only have two minutes to spare." She said carelessly.

"Are you that sure of your defeat?"

"No, of my victory." Tea replied. "And you can go first. It's only fair to give you a chance." Mai growled at the insult and drew.

"I place two cards face down, she said, "and then, I summon-."

"Yeah, yeah. You summon _Harpy Lady_ in attack mode." Tea said with a yawn, stopping Mai in her tracks.

"How did you…?" She said with an open mouth and Tea smirked, watching the monster appear on the floor.

"The thing about you is that you are very predictable." Tea said, holding her cards. "Everything you do is old and boring, whether it's your dueling or designing. I, on the other hand, bring a something new to the table, as you will now see." Tea stared at her cards and smirked.

"Well, I'd start with this card, the _Chaste Maiden_." A hologram of a beautiful young girl appeared on the floor. She had long brown hair and bright blue eyes, looking very familiar to her owner. She was wearing a simple blue sundress. She had an attack power of 1900, more than harpy lady.

"Pretty little thing she is." Tea said. "But there's more to her than looks. She has a special ability. When s he is summoned on the field and there is a monster on my opponent's side as well, I can automatically summon _Intrepid Warrior Valence_. A young man wearing a warrior's outfit appeared on the field. He had long red hair and gray eyes. He had an attack power of 2500. as soon as he was summoned, he moved towards the maiden and gazed lovingly at her. She held his arm and moved behind him slightly, for protection. Behind Mai, Joey whispered to Yugi.

"Have you seen these cards before?" Yugi shook his head. Besides them, Seto eyed the warrior closely. There was something about him that was awfully familiar, but he couldn't place his finger on it. He shook his head and turned back to the duel. Tea was speaking again.

"They are lovers." Tea said, staring at the pair. "Every time _Chaste Maiden_ faces another monster, _Valence_ comes to protect her. _Chaste Maiden_ draws hope from her lover." Her attack power went up to 2400. "_Valence_ draws strength and courage from his lover." His attack power went up to 3200. Mai's eyes widened.

"This is not the end of it." Tea said with a superior smirk. "I activate my magic card _Concealed Eye_. It allows me destroy all magic and trap cards on the field if I can guess them." Her smirk widened. "And I guess that your two cards are _Harpy's Feather Duster_, and _Mirror Force_." The two cards lifted, and much to everyone's shock, were what Tea had predicted. They shattered to small pieces and disappeared off the field. "And lastly, I activate _Mind Control_. It lets me use your _Harpy_ for this turn." Now Mai stood bare, with nothing to protect her. Tea smiled.

"_Harpy Lady_, attack Miss Valentine." The monster screeched in a shrill voice and attacked its former master. Mai groaned as her life points reduced to 2200. "And now, the lovely couple gets a chance to grace you with their power. "The two held hands and _Valence_ raised is sword. Silver light erupted from his sword and struck Mai, knocking her off her feet. She screamed and fell a few feet back from the impact, her dress revealing her panties. Cameras flashed again and Tea smirked.

"And that ladies and gents is how you duel." She finished with a bow. "And look at that, my two minutes are over. Ciao." She turned on her heel and walked towards Mokuba. Reporters surrounded her, asking numerous questions.

"What is going on between you two?"

"Did you have an old grudge?"

"Where did you learn to duel like that?"

"Who was on the phone?" Tea grabbed Mokuba's arm and dragged him towards a baffled Mayor, yelling a few words to satisfy the hungry reporters.

"It was my manager, Stan. Apparently he's not very happy with this stunt. So now I have to go listen to a speech." She quickly apologized to the Mayor and The Arts Council for her abrupt departure, promising to attend a private dinner with them in the near future, and in the blink of an eye, she was out the door and into her limo. Behind her, reporters gushed in front of cameras, reporting their spin on the events.

"As you just witnessed, Tea Gardner just delivered the most humiliating defeat to self- proclaimed No.1 female duelist, Mai Valentine, who is being consoled by her friends." The camera moved to Mai, who was surrounded by Serenity, Joey and Tristan.

"But how did she get such extravagant dueling knowledge? In all her profiles, she has never mentioned dueling as one of her hobbies. Yet now it seems that it is probably the most practiced one. And what about the mysterious phone call? Tea has revealed it to be from her manager, Stan, and it could be true. But my personal view is that she was hiding the truth. Her facial expressions, her twinkling eyes, and the tone of her voice during the call shows a different story. My female intuition tells me that there is someone else, someone she doesn't want to reveal just yet. But that leads us to the question, who is this mystery person?"

...

* * *

Thank you for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

I do now own Yugion.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

Flashback/Dreams

* * *

...

_Delicious aromas greeted him upon his entrance into the house._

_She was here._

_A smile graced his normally impassive face, and he felt his tiredness wash away. Throwing his coat and briefcase on the couch, he proceeded towards the kitchen, knowing the sought individual will be found there. And this assumption was correct. There she was, stirring something in the pot, her back to him. From his spot, he let his eyes roam over her body. Long, shapely legs that were meant to wrap around his waist while their bodies moved. A cute butt that he loved to squeeze, though it earned him a slap every time, along with a blush. Her small waist that often had him thinking if she barely ate anything at all, yet he never complained because he wouldn't want it any other way. It fit perfectly in his hands, the sensitive skin an erotic toy to play with. Her chest, not too large because she was still growing, but every time she wore tight fitting clothes, he couldn't keep his eyes off it. That swan like neck, that she loved to tilt to the side in a cute manner, was perhaps his favorite spot since it was where most of his actions went, up until now at least. But that soon would change._

_Being extremely careful with his steps, he sneaked behind her and wrapped his arms around that enticing waist of hers. But she neither screamed in shock, nor gasped in surprise. Hell, she barely even tensed upon contact. Without looking over her shoulder, she smiled._

_"You are back early today." Of course she knew who he was. No one else dared touch her in this house so intimately except him._

_"A little birdie told me you were here early as well." He whispered in her ear, causing delicious shivers of pleasure to run down her spine. Her body shuddered ever so slightly against his, sending pleasure through his nerves._

_"And I told him I'd bake him cookies if he kept quiet." She said, shaking her head. Behind her, he chuckled._

_"Maybe he believes my reward for this information will be much greater than yours." Seto said, arms still wound around her._

_"Too bad." She said, placing the pot off the stove and turning the stove off. "If he had shown some patience, he may have found out what else I have to offer." A warm feeling coursed through his body at her words, causing his mouth to move closer to her skin._

_"Don't worry about him." He said, placing an open mouth kiss on her neck. "I want all you have to offer." His hands roamed her body, one sneaking under her shirt to feel her tight stomach._

_"Seto." She moaned, feeling his teeth graze over her sensitive flesh. "We have to stop this. Mokuba will be here soon."_

_"He won't." Seto whispered, lips moving towards her jaw line. "I let him go to the Game Shop as a reward for the information he provided me." His fingers brushed the underside of her breast, earning a sharp gasp from her. "No one will disturb us."_

_"Seto." Her voice was shaking, with desire he presumed, and he boldly placed his other hand on her hips, sliding them down towards the skin exposed by her mini skirt._

_"The food… is… getting cold." She made an attempt to squirm away from him, but it only heightened his desire._

_"I have no plans of getting to it anytime soon. For the moment, I intend to satisfy my hunger for you." Without a warning, he turned her around and placed his lips on hers. She gasped, providing him an opportunity to delve his tongue into her mouth. His hands moved to cup her butt, earning yet another gasp from her. He smirked. He was starting to love this sweet sound. Not wasting a single moment, he picked her up, using her butt as leverage, and placed her on the small island counter in their kitchen. It was a memorable place. It was where they had shared their first kiss, and now, their first—_

_"Seto." She had managed to pry her lips away from him and was making an attempt to speak, but he wouldn't allow it. He only wanted to hear her moan his name over and over again, until that was the only word she could remember. He immediately attacked her neck, tugging at the soft flesh, earning another gasp from her. He smirked when he felt her place her hands on his chest, but was he was quite shocked to feel a push emitted from them. Suppressing a growl of frustration, he ran his fingers over her body, trying to coax her to comply to his wishes. But the girl was resolute in her attempt to get him to listen to her. Her hands gripped his roaming ones tightly, stopping his ministrations. He sharply turned his head to glare at her, and was met with her pale face._

_"Seto." She spoke his name again, but not with desire and passion, as he wanted her to. Instead, it shook with uncertainty and fear. "Please… I… can't… do this." Her words fell heavy on him, like a ton of bricks._

_"What… do you mean?" He asked, hands now still in her small ones._

_"I… I don't think… we should…." He knew what she was trying to say, and for some reason, it caused his blood to boil._

_"Why the hell not?" His hands curled into fists, and immediately she let go of them, as if they were hot iron rods._

_"We… we are too young." She said, causing him to move an inch away from her. Embolden by his retrieval, she spoke in a confident voice. "We are too young. We have only been dating for a few months… 3 to be exact, and… this is too soon." Seto completely withdrew from her, eyes hidden by his brown locks. He had understood her words. Her hand reached to touch his cheek, turning his face to look her in the eye. "You understand, right?" Her voice carried fear and uncertainty. After a moment of pause, during which her heart stopped beating, he nodded his head._

_"I understand." His voice was stiff, and strained. "I'll… I'll wait till you are ready." Overjoyed, she threw her arms around him. He, however, remained still._

_"Thank you so much Seto. I knew you'd understand."_

* * *

_Seto drowned another glass of cheap bear down his throat and slammed the glass on the table. He was angry. He was beyond angry. He was Seto Kaiba. Never in his life had he been denied anything, whether he wanted it or not._

_'The nerve of that girl.' He thought, rage filling his drunk mind. 'How dare she do this to me?' Another glass of cheap beer went down his throat. 'How dare she deny me? She says she's not ready. Then why does she flaunt her body in those ridiculously short clothes? Why?' He tried to think of a reason, but his sharp mind was acting quite slow due to the high level of alcohol in his system. But he was Seto Kaiba. Nothing could stop him. A little more focus, and he had a "reason."_

_'She was teasing him.' He growled. 'She was doing this on purpose. She was a slut who flaunted her body to get his attention, to tease him, to arouse him. And she had succeeded. God dammit she had succeeded. But what now?' Yeah, what now? His mind teased. What was her plan now?_

_'She was going to make him wait.' He concluded. 'She was going to have him wait and beg.' His eyes narrowed in realization. She was trying to control him. She was using his sexual desires to control him, The Seto Kaiba._

_'How dare she?' His anger increased tenfold. 'She thinks she can manipulate me. Well, she is wrong. I don't need her.' Anger was replaced by arrogance and confidence. 'I am Seto Kaiba, I can find someone else to fulfill my desires.' He glanced around the club and smirked. There were plenty of women present that could satisfy his hunger, plenty who would jump at the opportunity, plenty who were ready. Smirking, he stretched and eyed a passing petite girl. She was small in height, possibly shorter than Tea, but she had long hair. Form what he could see, she had a decent body too. Of course, it was nowhere as sexy as Tea's but it would do for the night. From her posture and manners, he could tell that the girl was obviously young and naive, out of place in this club, and he knew she would be easily manipulated. Yes, she was the lucky girl. Having made up his mind, he stood up and approached her. She was standing alone, her back to him. So far, he had to see her face, but who cared. He was only interested in her body, some particular body parts to be exact._

_"Hey." He tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to turn around, and was shocked to see Joey's little sister standing before him. What the hell? What was she doing here? Did that mean the rest of the geek squad was here too?_

_"K… Kaiba?" She stuttered, frozen in fear. The look on her face was of a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Obviously, she wasn't expecting to be recognized in this dark and shady club, which meant the rest of the geek squad wasn't here either. Little Wheeler was sneaking out on her own._

_"Look who we have here." He said in a mocking tone. "Little Wheeler. What are you doing here? Aren't you a bit young to be in a club like this?" Her face was deathly pale, and he was sure she was either going to vomit, or faint, both of which would be quite amusing._

_"I… I… Mai.. . gave me… a fake I.D." She confessed, still cowering in fear before him._

_"Valentine." He said the name with a smirk. He knew she was like that. How she ended with the goody-two-shoes geek squad was beyond him. "She gave you a fake I.D. to sneak in here? I wonder if Wheeler knows." Her reaction was priceless. Her pupils shrunk in fear and she was begging him in an instant._

_"Please don't tell big brother. He…. He'd never trust me again. He doesn't even let me go shopping alone. Please I'm begging you." He only laughed._

_"Who would have known that you were such a bad girl, sneaking into R-Rated clubs behind your big brother's back."_

_"Please don't tell him. I'll… I'll do anything." The gears in his mind turned at her words. Anything she said, and he had the perfect thing in his mind. He would kill two birds with one stone. He would get his needs met and piss Wheeler off all at once._

_"There is one thing you can do to keep my mouth shut." He leaned down to whisper in her ear. Her eyes widened at his words and she took a step back in fear. She looked very unsure and he knew she needed an incentive. Leaning down, he licked her ear lobe and whispered._

_"I'll keep your dirty secret if you keep mine." He watched with satisfaction when her eyes rolled back in pleasure. Her reaction clearly stated she was virgin, untouched by any man. This was going to fun._

* * *

_Serenity sat in the small café with Mai, fidgeting nervously. Mai calmly sipped her coffee, watching Serenity with interest._

_"Want to tell me what's on your mind hun?" She finally said, looking at Serenity with piercing eyes. Serenity gulped and then spoke._

_"I… I slept with Kaiba." Immediately, Mai's eyes went wide._

_"Wh… what?" She controlled herself and hissed instead of yelling in shock. Serenity looked away._

_"Yes. I… I did."_

_"When? How did this happen?"_

_"You remember when you gave me an I.D. for the club?" Serenity said, still looking at the floor._

_"Yeah. That was 10 days ago. Why?" Mai said._

_"Well… it was on that night. He.. he spotted me… and then… he asked if I would… you know. He said he won't tell Joey if I do it. So… I did."_

_"That was the only time?" Mai pressed, and Serenity shook her head._

_"He… has been coming to me every day for the last 10 days Mai." Mai's eyes widened._

_"Are you kidding me? That's impossible. Does Tea know?"_

_"No. He has been hiding it from her. He calls me every day on my cell to meet him at a hotel. I don't even know how he got my number. But he threatens to tell Joey if I won't go, and then… oh Mai, I don't know what to do." Serenity looked up to see a thoughtful expression on Mai's face._

_"So, he's been coming to you for sex instead of Tea. And he is willing to blackmail you for it. Looks like he really wants you." A blush appeared on Serenity's face and Mai smirked. "And you like him a lot too._

_"He is really good." Serenity said, turning red. "I mean, I have never been kissed before, but when he kisses, it just feels so good. And he… he makes me feel so good. I actually wait every night to get his call. I'm a horrible person."_

_"No." Mai said strictly. "This is not your fault. It's not his fault either. You two are attracted to each other." Mai declared. "And so Kaiba is seeking you. I think he knows that others will not be happy with this, especially Tea and Joey, and that's why he is being so secretive about this. But it can't go on like this."_

_"What do you mean?" Serenity asked fearfully. The idea of ending their trysts filled her with dread._

_"Listen to me Serenity." Mai began, carefully watching the younger girl's face. "I think Kaiba sought you because Tea won't sleep with him. "Serenity's eyes widened and then a sad expression crossed her expression. "I know you both are enjoying this now, but where is this leading to? What exactly is it that you are feeling?" In the blink of an eye, Serenity spoke._

_"I love him." Mai raised an eyebrow. "I think I love him Mai." Serenity said again. "I think that's why I let him touch me every night. I love him."_

_"Are you sure Serenity? Maybe it's because he is your first. Maybe it's just an infatuation. Maybe it's-." She was cut off by Serenity before she could say another word._

_"I won't let any other man do this to me, just him. I don't want another man. I love him only." Mai sighed._

_"And what about Kaiba? Does he feel the same?" Mai questioned._

_"I… I don't know." Serenity admitted. "He gets really angry if I am late. And when he sees me, he just starts touching me everywhere, like he can't live without me, like he needs me. I see him every night, but every time, he acts like we have been apart for years. I think he loves me too."_

_"If that's the case, then maybe he does feel for you more than Tea." Mai said with a thoughtful expression. "But then, why doesn't he let Tea go? Why is he still with her?" At this, Serenity frowned._

_"I don't know. We never really talk about anything when we are together. He comes from Kaiba Corp. and when we are done, he leaves soon after so Mokuba won't get worried. He never says anything about Tea." Mai sipped her now cold coffee, analyzing the situation in her mind. Seto Kaiba was dating Tea, but cheating on her with Serenity. Things between Kaiba and Serenity were on a higher level than Kaiba and Tea. Serenity seemed like she really cared about Kaiba, and Kaiba was displaying a lot of interest in Serenity as well._

_"Serenity." Mai said in a serious tone. "You have been sleeping with Kaiba for over a week now you say." Serenity nodded her head. "Are you going to see him tonight?" Serenity nodded her head again. "Ok." Mai said. "Then we must do this tonight."_

_"Do what ?"_

_"Find out his real intentions." Serenity was confused. It was clear to her that Kaiba wanted her. Then what did Mai mean._

_"Serenity, I have to admit, this is a well kept secret. I am a very observant person when it comes to these kind of things, and even I didn't suspect a thing. But I also know that sooner or later, this secret will be exposed. Someone will find out and let me tell you, hell will break lose. And you will be the only person at the receiving end of it. Kaiba will find a way out of it. I'm sure he will. He is a smart man. And you'll be left to take the heat, to take the stares, the whispers, the taunts. You'll be branded as a slut who cheated on her friend with her boyfriend, as a whore who slept with a man she barely knew. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" Very weakly, Serenity nodded her head and Mai continued. "Everyone will sympathize with Tea and Joey, and you'll be left alone."_

_"But Kaiba will do something, won't he?" Serenity said desperately. "He'd defend me, right Mai?" The older woman sighed._

_"That is what we are trying to find out. And we'll find out tonight." A determined glint appeared in her eyes. "Tonight when you go to see Kaiba, here's what you will do."_

* * *

_Seto moved around his table, gathering all of his documents. He had to hurry. He had already called little Wheeler to meet him at a new hotel, and knew she'd be waiting. But he didn't care about her waiting for a few minutes. He cared about his relief. Just thinking about what their meeting would bring him made him extremely aroused. For a second, he felt as if his body was shaking with desire. But he controlled himself. He had to walk through the lobby, and he didn't want people noticing a certain part of his body. People were right when they said sex was a stress reliever._

_After making sure everything was in check, he held his brief case in his hand and was about to step out when his cell phone rang. Growling, he answered it._

_"What?" He didn't care if it was Mokuba on the other line. He needed relief and he needed it now._

_"Seto." Great. It was Miss I'm-not-ready._

_"What do you want? I'm busy." His voice was curt. There was a small pause before she spoke._

_"I just wanted to know if you'd come home early." Her voice was meek, as if she could see his distasteful scowl._

_'Come home?' he thought. 'To what?'_

_"No. I still have business to take care of. I'd be home what it's taken care of. Ok." Without a goodbye, he hung up. He knew she'd be hurt by his attitude, but at that time, he didn't care. If she didn't care about him, or about his needs, he wasn't going to bother either. Having wasted enough time on needless things, he stormed out of his office, his aura daring anyone else to even look at him._

_He reached the hotel he had picked for the night. Every night for the past 10 days, he had chosen a different place for their activities. Most of the times, it had been some dark and shady nightclub. Those places were perfect since the lighting made it nearly impossible for anyone else to recognize them, more importantly him. A few times, he had chosen a hotel, but only when he knew he wanted to spend more than just 10 minutes with her. It really depended on his day. If he had a stressful day and felt like he needed to relax completely, he chose a hotel. Otherwise a club it was._

_But tonight, he was planning to stay for a while. The day had been quite busy, and he was looking forward to tonight. He swiftly walked towards the room he had rented for the night and opened the door. He had sent her the key earlier so he knew she'd be inside, waiting. And inside waiting she was. His body went stiff from arousal when he saw her. He had told her to either wear nothing or very little clothing when she was in a room with him. It took away the time and effort to lick the outside to get to the creamy center. And to his wishes, she was only wearing a shirt and her underwear. Immediately, he threw his brief case on the floor and grabbed her._

_His hands grabbed her arms pulling her closet to his body and he licked her neck. She moaned out loud at his ministrations, but this was just the beginning. His frantic hands reached for her shirt and lifted it over her head, revealing her bra covered breasts. His mouth went dry at the sight. Sure she was no comparison when it came to Tea's body, but Tea's body wasn't available. So he had to make use of this one. His fingers reached for the clasp of her bra when she moved away._

_Great. What had gotten into her? Now that he thought about it, she hadn't latched onto him like a rabid animal, touching and kissing his skin like she always did._

_"What the hell are you doing?" He hissed and made a gesture to grab her, but she squirmed away. Cursing, he moved towards her. He was highly aroused, and was in no mood to play games._

_"Kaiba." She said in a small voice. "Please, listen to me."_

_"Why the hell would I do that?" He growled and tried to grab her breast, but she moved her arms to cover them._

_"I have to talk to you." Realizing that force was only going to get him unwanted attention from the hotel staff, and most likely, a scandal, he stood patiently._

_"Fine." He spat. "Talk. But hurry up. I don't have a lot of time." She took a deep breath and began speaking._

_"Kaiba, we have been doing this for over a week, but I still don't know where we stand." He grunted and replied._

_"Just get to the damn point." His sexual frustrations were taking him over, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he lost all control and slammed her against a wall._

_"Why are you still with Tea?" Her words caught him off guard._

_"Why do you care?" He said in a surprisingly offended voice._

_"You sleep with me, yet she is called your girlfriend."_

_"No one knows we are together except Mokuba and the geek squad." He said. He had kept his relationship with Tea a secret to avoid attention and media hounding. At that time, the concern had been for Tea's well being, but he didn't want to think about that right now._

_"Yes, and they are the only people I care about. If someone finds out, then what will happen to me?" He grunted, signaling that it was of no concern to him._

_"I'll be the bitch, the traitor, the slut. And I don't want to be thought of as that." Her words caused him to look at her with an expressionless face._

_"What do you want?" He knew she wanted something from him. It was better she tell him now and save him he trouble of figuring it out himself._

_"I want you to break up with her." Immediately, he stepped towards her, a menacing look on his face._

_"Who the hell are you to tell me if I should stay with her or leave her?" How dare she tell him what to do?_

_"I… I care about you." She said meekly._

_"And I don't care about what you care about." He said carelessly. "I paid good money for this room, and I intend to use it for all it's worth. So stop all this drama." Serenity only stared at him with a sad look in her eyes and then took out a cell phone. He saw her dial a number and he wondered who she was calling. But she didn't talk. She held the phone in her hand and soon after, there was a knock on the door. His eyes narrowed in anger._

_"Who is out there?" he demanded. What was she doing? Serenity opened the door to reveal Mai._

_"What the hell are you doing here?" He said in an irritated voice._

_"Serenity told me everything." She said and he rolled his eyes. That much was obvious._

_"And I suppose all her doing tonight was your brilliant idea?" Mai nodded._

_"Yes. I think it's unfair the way you are using Serenity."_

_"It doesn't involve you Valentine, so butt out." He said curtly and Mai huffed._

_"Oh it concerns me all right. She is my friend. I love this girl like a sister, and I won't stand for you using her and then discarding her."_

_"You don't know anything about my intentions." Seto said plainly._

_"I don't want to know either." Mai replied in the same tone. "I know you want Serenity. It's written all over your face. But if you really want her, then why are you still with Tea? Why bother with her? Why not just break up with her?"_

_"I thought Tea was your friend too." Seto pointed out dryly._

_"She is. But in this situation, I am on Serenity's side. If this is revealed, the damage done to Serenity would be far greater than the damage to Tea because of your break up. I have weighed both sides already Kaiba. Tea is a strong girl. She will recover from this easily. Plus, it's not like you guys have done anything else other than kissing. But with Serenity things are different. You have changed her from a little girl from a woman. You have taken her virginity, and if you discard her like an old toy, she'll break. She'll not recover from this. No girl will." She turned towards Serenity and motioned her towards her discarded clothes. Serenity moved towards them and began dressing. Mai turned back to Kaiba and continued._

_"If you really want Serenity, then break up with Tea. You can't have both girls Kaiba. You have to choose one." She turned towards a fully dressed Serenity, grabbed her arm and began heading out of the room._

_"Only one girl Kaiba." She said over her shoulder. "Choose wisely." With that, the door was slammed shut, leaving a very angry Kaiba behind._

* * *

_Seto entered the quiet mansion late at night. The light were out, and he knew Tea had put Mokuba to bed. But was she asleep too? He put his brief case on the couch and the lights flicked on, revealing a sleepy looking Tea getting off the couch._

_"Oh, you're back." She said, rubbing her eyes. He grunted, annoyed at presence. Why the hell was she awake? Was she keeping tabs on him, marking the time he left and came back?_

_"Why are you awake?" She seemed hurt at his words._

_"I wanted to make sure I was there if you needed anything."_

_"I'm not a child." He nearly yelled, causing her to flinch. "I can take care of myself. She only stood there, staring at him in hurt and confusion. He could see her eyes glistening and he braced himself for the waterfall of tears. But to his surprise, not a single drop came._

_"Did you eat dinner?" She asked again._

_"Yes." He replied through gritted teeth. Taking a hint, she began walking up the stairs. But before she disappeared in the darkness, he heard her whisper._

_"Seto, what happened to you?"_

_He grunted. She spoke as if she cared. If she did, he wouldn't be in this position, being blackmailed for sex but a Wheeler nonetheless. And it was all her fault. All hers._

_He knew he had treated her very badly tonight, but he couldn't help it. He was very sexually frustrated, and watching her stand in front of him with those tousled hair, those droopy eyes, wearing tiny shorts covered by his over sizes shirt, just made things worse._

_A tease. She was doing this on purpose. This act of caring was part of her plan. But he wouldn't let it succeed. He walked towards his bedroom and threw off his clothes. One look at his body told him he had needed tonight. Sighing, he fell on his bed, but sleep won't come. He was so used to being extremely relaxed from the nights before, and tonight, his body felt like it was made of rocks. He rolled over in bed, the contact of sheets on his body not helping the situation at all._

_Dammit. He wanted to end this. He wanted to end this now. He couldn't live like this. He couldn't spend every night like this because of a some girl that was teasing him on purpose. It wasn't worth it. Picking up the phone, he dialed a familiar number. He had made his decision already._

...

* * *

Thank you for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

_..._

"Mr. Kaiba?" A meek voice spoke through the intercom. Seto grunted in frustration at the interruption.

"What?" He growled. There was a pause before his secretary spoke again.

"Sir… the director of Advertising… and Marketing department is waiting for you in the board room." Seto grunted again and shut off the intercom.

'What does he want?' He thought, gathering his documents to place them in a neat pile.

The director of advertising and marketing, Shinn Hariguka, had requested an immediate meeting with him this morning, not specifying the reason for it. Shinn was a smart man in his late 30's, very familiar with the trends among their consumers, and Seto wondered what the man had in mind for this sudden meeting. Maybe it was concerning their latest product, the Duel Disk VX.

He entered the board room and was somewhat surprised to find not just Shinn, but a few other distinct members from the department sitting there as well.

"Mr. Kaiba, so glad you could join us." Shinn said in courtesy, getting off his chair to greet his boss. The others followed his example and stood up as well. Seto only grunted in greeting, something that all his employees were quite used to.

"What is the purpose of this meeting?" Seto inquired, having taken his seat. All the other occupants of the room shared glances before Shinn spoke.

"We are about to launch our new product, the Duel Disk VX into the market, but I'm sure you are already aware of that."

"Yes I am." Seto said in annoyance. "And if you called me here just to inform me of that, I'm afraid you're going to have to look for a new job very soon." Shinn's face paled considerably, but having worked with Kaiba for many years, he knew this was coming, and recovered immediately.

"Sir, this is about the ad campaign for our product. Originally, we had decided that Miss Mai Valentine would be employed in the ad. After all, she is beautiful and a famous female duelist, and would be able to cover both male and female markets." He paused, sharing another look with his fellow members.

"However, in the light of recent events, we think it is not such a great idea." Seto raised an eyebrow.

"Explain." He commanded.

"Well, the whole world saw Miss Valentine's humiliation by the hands of Miss Tea Gardner. It would be foolish to go ahead with Miss Valentine now that she has lost a considerable amount of support and respect. It won't be good for our campaign or product, and most likely, the profit will be very low or close to none." Seto nodded his head in understanding.

"We think it would be more appropriate to use someone who is in demand these days, someone who is loved and respected by all… someone like Miss Tea Gardner." Seto's mouth hung open in shock at Shinn's suggestion. Tea? Were they serious about recruiting Tea for this campaign? Having noticed his boss' reaction, Shinn quickly spoke.

"Sir, she is a world famous celebrity, so if she agrees to endorse our product, the popularity and demand of it will be global. Also, we have seen her dueling skills which far surpass Miss Valentine's, or many other duelists for that matter. She is beautiful, charming, and talented. She has fans among males and females. Using her would target both markets, and the estimated profit margin we have calculated would be at least 61% more than using Miss Valentine." Shinn finished, shooting his employer a pensive glance. Seto appeared deep in thought.

From a businessman's point of view, he agreed with Shinn whole-heartedly. Tea was, no doubt, the best candidate for the job. But one question surfaced in his mind.

Would she do it? Would she agree to work for a man who had driven her away from not just her friends and city, but the continent? Considering her recent attitude, he knew the answer was a no.

"She won't agree." He said, almost sadly.

"But if Mr. Mokuba asks her, she might." Shinn said hopefully. Seto felt his heart stop beating for a moment. Yes. That was true. If Mokuba asked her, she would most likely agree.

"The odds are in our favor Mr. Kaiba." Shinn continued his efforts to convince his boss. "Miss Tea seems to be quite close to Mr. Mokuba, and we can use it to our advantage. And because we never formally signed any contract with Miss Mai Valentine, only agreed to hire her, there will be no legal complications." Seto finally nodded his head in agreement. There was no denying what Shinn had said. Using Tea was their best option at that moment.

"Great." Shinn said, rejoicing with the other members of his department. I have already called for Mr. Mokuba. He should be here momentarily." Seto nodded and immersed himself in his thoughts, ignoring the excited chattering of people around him.

Kaiba Corp. was going to offer Tea a contract to work with them. Mokuba was their trump card, but he still doubted Tea would agree. She despised him. He had seen it in her eyes during their first meeting in years. She hated him. It tore his heart to pieces knowing this, but there was nothing he could do about it. He was the one who was responsible for that. He was the one who had made the choice to hurt her, to sow a seed of hatred in her heart, and he knew that forever, he would taste its bitter fruit. A loud noise of doors opening broke his train of thoughts and he watched his brother enter the room. Just as he had expected, Mokuba hadn't even acknowledged his presence.

"So gentleman, what do you need me for?" Mokuba said in a careless tone, gracelessly plopping on an empty chair. Everyone turned their attention to him.

"We want Miss Tea to be the spokesperson for our Duel Dislk VX campaign, and we want you to speak to her about that." Shinn got right to the point. He knew there was no point beating around the subject with the younger Kaiba. Mokuba's face remained uninterested.

"But you already have Mai flashing her boobs. Why do you want me to bother Tea?"

"We never officially hired Miss Mai." Shinn said. "It was just agreed to use her since she is a respectable duelist." Mokuba let out a chuckle at that.

"Respectable? Sure." Shin shook his head and continued.

"Anyway, given the recent events, you and I both know that using Miss Mai would be a mistake. So we want to request Miss Tea's help."

"I'm sure you have good reasons as to why she would agree." Mokuba said. "But I have damn good reasons why she wouldn't agree." Seto knew this was directed towards him, but he kept on the mask of indifference.

"But please sir, if you try, surely she would consider." Someone else almost begged and Seto wondered if this even was about the campaign.

"Sure, I can try, but I won't guarantee anything." Mokuba said with a careless shrug. The men's faces lit with glee and immediately, they pushed a phone towards him.

"Call her right away so we can prepare." Mokuba let out a chuckle at their behaviour and dialed a number, all the while hiding the number pad. He didn't want any of them to get her number. He turned the phone on speaker so everyone could hear his conversation. Seto's heartbeat increased tenfold, making him feel like it the only sound in the room.

"Hello." Her voice rang through the deadly silent boardroom. Seto felt his heart stop beating.

"Guess who?" Mokuba said playfully. A giggle was heard on the other line.

"Gey Mokuba, how are you?" Mokuba smiled widely.

"Same as yesterday, smart and sexy." Tea's giggle was heard again, followed by a masculine voice.

"Who is it?" Everyone raised a curious eyebrow at the newcomer.

"It's Mokuba. Want to say hi?" Tea said and the voice came out louder.

"Hey man. You're so lucky you aren't here. Steven and me had to drag out the grill for _her_ _highness_." A smack and a feminine laugh.

"You're a strong man Joshua. Stop whining." Mokuba said.

"It's damn heavy first of all." Joshua countered. "And she purposely made us take it upstairs to the balcony, then to the backyard, then to the front yard, then to the front of the porch, and then to the backyard again,."

"I was looking for the perfect spot." Tea said in an annoyed voice and Joshua huffed.

"Perfect spot, my ass." Joshua scoffed. "Anywhere would have been good. You just wanted to torture me for what I did last night." Almost everyone in the room felt their curiosity rise. Seto, however, felt his jealousy rise with curiosity. What was that man doing with Tea at night?

"Even if I did, you deserved it." Tea said.

"Come on, it was funny." Joshua said and Tea huffed.

"Maybe if I do it to you tonight, you'll know if it is funny or not." She challenged.

"But it was funny. Hey Steven, wasn't it funny?" A far away voice came through the phone.

"Keep me out of this."

"See, even he thinks it is funny." Joshua said and Mokuba chuckled.

"God, you people are like an old couple, always fighting." He commented teasingly.

"But we love each other too." Joshua cooed on the other line and Tea yelled.

"Get off me." There was a masculine laugh, Joshua everyone presumed, and then Tea spoke.

"So what's the purpose of this call? Last I checked, you were supposed to be here in half an hour for lunch." She inquired and all the men in the room shot a longing glance at Mokuba. They all wished to be in Mokuba's place, but not Seto of course. His eyes moved to the floor.

"Yeah. But something came up." Mokuba said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What?" Her voice held worry, and Mokuba smiled.

"I'm at Kaiba Corp. Some executives want me to ask you if you want to be a part of our campaign for the new duel disk that's coming out."

"Hmm." Tea's thoughtful voice came. "And they think you can convince me?"

"I'm quite persuasive if I do say." Mokuba joked in a boastful voice as he read a piece of paper passed by Shinn. "And apparently, Kaiba Corp. is willing to pay you whatever you want."

"I don't care about money." Her attitude was careless. All men in the room lost hope.

"So, you refuse?" Mokuba said, shooting the men a sorry glance.

"I didn't say that." She was playing with them, Seto knew it. She was well aware of his executives' strategy, and was taking advantage of it. She had smartened up, and Seto couldn't help but be proud of her.

"I'll do it as a favor to _you_." She said in the same careless tone. "But in return, _you_ have to do me a favor." Everyone exchanged looks. Before Mokuba could inquire, Joshua's voice came.

"So you're going to sucker him into stripping? Awesome."

"Sucker me into stripping?" Mokuba repeated in a confused voice.

"Shut up Joshua. Go bother Steven for once." Tea said in an annoyed tone.

"Save yourself if you can Mokuba." Joshua yelled. "She's opening a strip joint and needs male strippers."

"JOSHUAAAA." Tea's yell tore over the airwaves and Mokuba had to put the phone away to protect his eardrums.

"Tea, are you ok?" Mokuba asked hesitantly.

"Ugh. That Joshua pisses me off." She muttered angrily. "And no. I'm not opening a strip joint, even though Joshua has suggested it many times. Actually, I'm planning to-." Mokuba cut her off before she revealed anything.

"You know what, I'm going to see you in half hour. You can tell me then." Mokuba hurriedly said. "And I'll bring the contract too."

"Okay. See you soon then." Tea said before hanging up. Mokuba turned to the other occupants of the room.

"Well guys, you're work is done, and I need to leave." With that, he left, leaving some very joyous men, and a sulking man behind.

* * *

Ring, ring.

Ring, ring.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Mai yelled, walking towards her phone. "Hello."

"Hey Mai, it's Serenity." Mai breathed in relief.

"Oh good. I thought it was some annoying reporter asking me for some juicy gossip." Ever since the Mayor's formal welcome party for Tea and Mai's humiliating defeat, she had gotten calls upon calls to explain her "feud" with Tea. She was so sick of it all. "So, what's new?" She asked Serenity. Serenity hesitated on the other line before speaking.

"Mai, I got bad news." Mai frowned.

"For the past few days, that's all I have been getting. So go ahead, make my day."

"Kaiba Corp. hired Tea for the Duel disk VX campaign."

"WHAT?" Mai couldn't help but yell out in anger. "They hired her instead of me? That spot was promised to me."

"I went to talk to them, but they said a lot of stuff I didn't understand." Mai let out a sarcastic chuckle at Serenity's words, but let her continue. "Then I went to Seto to convince him, but he said he wasn't going to. He said that Tea was more suitable since she defeated you in a duel."

"So that bitch wins one lousy duel and all of sudden, she is a master duelist?" Mai said incredulously. "That's ridiculous."

"I know." Serenity agreed. "But they are not changing it. They said that the contract is signed and everything is finalized. Oh Mai, I'm worried. I think she is doing all this on purpose."

"You think?" Mai grumbled sarcastically. Anyone with a pea sized brain could figure that out.

"I think she is trying to steal Seto from me." Mai felt her anger rise. "I think she is trying to get close to Seto and ruin my perfect life. She is out to get me. She's-."

"Oh shut up." Mai yelled in frustration. "You are such a self-centered bitch. You think it's all about you? Well news flash, no one cares about you. Not Tea, and definitely not Kaiba. You are worried about your happy life? You don't have a happy life, and whatever you have is all because of me. If it wasn't for me, you won't even be living such a lavish life. It's all because of _me_, and what have you done for me in return? Nothing. Nothing at all. I ask you to secure me the spot in the campaign and you just watch as it's given to the one bitch who deserves it the least. Well _thank you_ miss. Thank you _very_ much." With a final scream, she slammed the phone down.

She couldn't believe it. The nerve of that bitch. How dare she do this to her? At that point, she wasn't sure if she was angry at Serenity or Tea. Both, she concluded; Serenity for being so damn useless, and Tea for being so… useful. But in the end, Tea was the one who was on the receiving end of most of her anger.

Ever since she had returned from hiding, she had ruined her life. She had taken away her reputation as the best female duelist, and her credibility in the dueling industry. She was the laughing stock of the dueling community and Domino. The same magazines that once begged for a meeting with her, now published embarrassing articles about her skills.

And the bitch Serenity, who was the root of all this mess, was sitting scratch-free. She was the reason of Mai's embarrassment, the reason Tea had humiliated Mai, and she had done nothing to help her. Nothing at all, even after everything Mai had done for her in the past.

(Flashback)

_"Joey, baby, I want to talk to you." Mai cooed as she entered the living room. Joey immediately turned off the TV and turned to face her. Living with Mai, he had learnt that paying attention to her when she wanted was the best way to avoid an angry Mai, and he definitely wanted to avoid an angry Mai._

_"Sure babe. Speak away."_

_"It's… about Serenity."_

_"What happened to her? Is she hurt? Did someone say something to her? Did Duke or Tristan do something stupid? I'll beat the shit out of those losers. Those lousy bastards-." Joey had gone into his over-protective-brother-mode. Mai sighed and placed a hand over his mouth to stop him._

_"She's fine." She assured the angry male. "She's just… in love."_

_"WHAT?" Joey's response indicated that she should have used a softer word._

_"Joey, she likes someone."_

_"Who?" A murderous look shone in his eyes._

_"Kaiba." Utter silence was Joey's brilliant response, not something Mai was expecting._

_"Wh… who?" His voice quivered as he asked again._

_"Seto Kaiba." Mai said slowly and carefully. She knew Joey was going to blow. After all, his sister was in love with his nemesis._

_"How could she?" Joey yelled. "Kaiba is a jerk. He is an asshole. He hates me and all Wheelers. And he is with Tea. How did she? How could she?"_

_"Joey, calm down." Mai said in a loud and commanding voice, immediately getting the man to be quiet. "Now listen to me. Serenity likes Kaiba and he likes her back."_

_"He can't like her. He likes Tea. She's his girlfriend." Joey pointed out._

_"No Joey, he doesn't feel anything for Tea." Joey gave her a confused look and she sighed. "I'll tell you if you promise to stay calm and quiet." He nodded his head. "Serenity has told me this herself. She told me weeks ago that she met Kaiba and he displayed his interest in her." Joey's hands tightened into fists, but he restrained himself from making any moves or saying anything. "Joey, she has liked Kaiba for the longest time, ever since battle city. But being the shy girl she is, she never said anything. Plus she was afraid of you." Joey looked away._

_"But keeping feelings in for too long takes its toll." Mai spoke in a soft voice. "You and I both know that." He slowly nodded his head._

_"She kept it in for a long time. But when Kaiba showed his interest in her, she caved in to her feelings. I understand her feelings because I have been through what she's been going through. I, too, kept my feelings hidden out of fear. I admire her courage and I support her, and I think you should too." Mai finished._

_"But Kaiba? He's Tea's boyfriend." Joey argued. "How can he cheat on Tea?"_

_"Joey, he has no feelings for Tea. He likes Serenity. He has been secretly seeing her for the last 2 weeks, everyday." She kept their sexual adventures out, knowing the kind of effect it would have on Joey._

_"But Mai, this is wrong. Serenity should have… she…" Joey seemed to be having trouble speaking._

_"She should have what?" Mai demanded in a loud voice. "Should have buried her feelings? Should have ignored her chance at happiness? Should have let the love of her life slip through her fingers? Should have what?" Joey had no answer._

_"Joey, you love your sister. Please try to understand her feelings." Mai said kindly._

_"But this is wrong to Tea." He said in a low voice._

_"No it's not." Mai quickly said "Tea already knows Kaiba doesn't like her. Haven't you seen how she's been complaining about him lately? Joey, their relationship is over. She had her chance and she blew it. It's Serenity's turn now." Joey didn't answer. He looked troubled. Mai knew he was having a hard time deciding. On one side was his best friend but on the other side was his baby sister who he loved more than life._

_"Who will you support Joey? Your friend who is holding on to a broken relationship or your baby sister, who has waited years to be this happy? Tell me Joey."_

_"I want Serenity to be happy." Joey said, not meeting Mai's gaze. "I will support her if Kaiba also says he is interested in her. I don't want him to string along my baby sister." Mai nodded._

_"I can have him talk to you right away." Mai said, dialing a number. A moment later, she gave the phone to Joey._

_"Kaiba." Joey said in a cold voice._

_"Wheeler." Kaiba's voice held venom._

_"Do you really have feelings for my sister?" Joey got right to the point._

_"You better have another reason to disturb me Wheeler, or you'll pay for wasting my time." Seto's threat only fueled the tension between them._

_"Answer me you bastard." Joey demanded. "Tell me if you like my sister or Tea?" There was a long silence before Seto spoke._

_"Wheeler, getting together with Tea was a mistake on my part. She's not the one I want." With that, Seto hung up. Joey turned to Mai._

_"Got your answer?" She asked. Joey nodded his head. Mai placed her arms around her lover. "It makes Serenity happy, and that should be enough for us." Joey did not respond._

* * *

_"Guys, Mai and Serenity have to talk to you." Joey said in a robotic voice. Everyone in the game shop turned their attention to the two females. Feeling their penetrating gazes, Serenity slightly moved behind Mai._

_"Guys." Mai said in her usual, loud voice. "This is serious, and I want all of you to be calm after hearing what we have to say."_

_"Sure." Tristen said, looking suspicious._

_"Good." Mai said and took a deep breath. "Kaiba and Serenity are together." Loud yells of 'what' filled the room. Yugi was the first to recover and speak._

_"How can that be? Kaiba is with Tea."_

_"Not anymore." Mai replied. "He plans to break-up with her to get together with Serenity. But Serenity wants to make sure you all understand everything before pointing fingers." Tristan opened his mouth to complain, but Duke shut him off with an elbow to the side. Mai shot him a grateful glance and began talking._

_"Serenity and Kaiba have been secretly seeing each other for about two weeks. And you probably noticed that during those weeks, Tea was complaining about him. Well, now you know why." The guys nodded their dumb heads and Mai continued her story. "I have already explained everything to Joey and I am not going to repeat myself. Long story short, Serenity and Kaiba like each other. Joey already spoke to Kaiba and Kaiba confirmed it. So, we don't have to worry about Kaiba playing Serenity. Kaiba has already decided to break-up with Tea so he can be with Serenity, and they have Joey's blessings. We are just letting you know so you don't blame Serenity for anything later on."_

_"But Mai, what about Tea?" Yugi voiced his concern._

_"I… I know what you are trying to say." Serenity spoke, just as Mai had explained her to do. "That's why… I kept my feelings hidden. But when Kaiba said… he … likes me… and he… I just couldn't help myself. I have liked him for so long." Her voice was meek and pathetic, enough to gather the sympathy of the occupants of the room. Realizing that their plan was working, Mai nudged Serenity forward so she could face them._

_"I know this will be hard for Tea. And I know it all seems so wrong on my part. But I can't help whom I fall in love with. But… if you guys.. feel that…" Her voice broke down a bit. "I should… ignore my heart… then I… will do that. I won't see Kaiba ever again." Dramatically, she turned around and buried her sobbing face in Mai's shoulder. Immediately, Joey went to comfort his little sister._

_"I support Serenity on this and I hate Kaiba." Joey said. "But I believe that she deserves a chance at happiness."_

_"But still, can't Serenity wait for a few months. If Kaiba breaks up with Tea now, she'll be devastated, and if Serenity gets together with Kaiba soon after, she'll obviously blame Serenity." Yugi reasoned._

_"Why should Serenity have to wait? It's not her fault at all. And why should you care for a girl who left you for the next best thing?" Mai said in a venomous voice._

_"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, clearly confused._

_"Come on Yugi." Mai scoffed at his innocence. "We all know how she claimed to love Yami. But when he left, we all assumed she would go to you. After all, it made sense. you were Yami. You had all of Yami's looks and qualities." Yugi looked away, not wanting to show how hurt he had been at Tea's decision to not date him._

_"She went to Kaiba, who, after Yami's departure, became the best." Mai pointed out. "After Yami, she went for the next best thing." All the guys in the room seemed uncomfortable. Mai knew this was the one issue that had bothered them for the longest, especially Yugi, and she was going to use it to her advantage._

_"And she fought with you guys many times for Kaiba, even though he was rude to you. I'm not one to judge, but I think she likes Kaiba for his money and fame. Look at the expensive presents he gets her and how happy she is showing them off. She even lives in his mansion. From what I see, she's using him, but Kaiba is smart and he has figured it out. He wants to get rid of her, and do you know what she is going to do after she is dumped by Kaiba?" The guys looked in different directions, not wanting to meet Mai's gaze._

_"She's going to come crying and bawling to you Yugi. She'll go for the next best thing, which is you. She'll use you next, and when you lose interest in her or vice versa, she'll probably go for Joey, or even Duke. Her past behavior shows that. I mean look at how she acts. She's friendliest with Yugi, then Joey, and then Tristen and Duke. We girls don't get along because we are different. I abandoned my glamorous life for Joey because I care about him, but she'll abandon everyone who cares about her for a glamorous life." She took a deep breath before continuing again._

_"Serenity is different. She is shy. She is honest. She is friendly. She is the sweetest girl all of us know, and she deserves everything life has to offer. And I won't stand for you guys ruining it for her." Mai declared._

_"What you said seems true." Duke said, twirling a lock of his hair. "I'm with you."_

_"Even though I'm very sad and angry at losing Serenity." Tristan said. "I'll support her because I really want her to be happy." Serenity shot them a loving glance through teary eyes. All eyes turned to Yugi. All knew that the topic of Tea rejecting him for Kaiba was a sensitive one for the young man._

_"I'm with Joey." He finally said. Serenity let out a sob of joy and hugged her brother._

_"Thank you guys." She said. "I really appreciate it." They all nodded._

(End flashback)

It had all been Mai's plan, every word… every action. She had done it all for Serenity. Sure she had reaped the benefits of putting Kaiba and Serenity together. The funds to open her business had come from Kaiba's account. But Serenity had gotten her share of the profits as well. But now that Tea had returned, who had taken all the blows from the revengeful bitch? Her, that's who.

But Mai wasn't one to sit back and let some wannabe duelist walk all over her. She would fight back…. eye for an eye. Smirking, she picked up the phone and dialed a number, but not before blocking out her number.

"Hello, Domino Entertainment… yes, I hear you are looking for a story regarding Tea Gardner…. Well, I got a juicy one for you." A smirk appeared on her lips.

"It's about… Tea Gardner's secret love affair."

...

* * *

Thanks for reading. Please review.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

...

**Tea Gardner's Secret Love Affair Revealed**

The charming, sexy, and talented Tea Gardner has eluded curious fans for far too long about her relationship. Though she has entertained some tabloid covers with a few scandals, none have been confirmed to be true. Questions have been raised many times as to why she hasn't been involved in a serious relationship. Many have even speculated that she has been enjoying a secret relationship. Whether that is true or false still remains a question.

But _Domino Entertainment_ has been able to discover something that no one else knows. Yes. _Domino Entertainment_ has found the answer to the question of the century. _Domino Entertainment_ has found out about Tea Gardner's secret love affair.

An anonymous source, claiming to be very close to the subject i.e. Tea Gardner, has revealed some very interesting information. There is no doubt that Tea's friendship with Mokuba Kaiba shocked everyone who knew either of them, which would be about half of the world. By the looks of their relationship, many among us have assumed that there is more to it then plain friendship. Well, the anonymous source claims that there is, indeed, more than friendship between them.

It can't merely be a coincidence that Mokuba Kaiba has been single for a long period of time as well. He too, much like Tea, has been linked to a few through scandals, but he has denied every one of them. So isn't it possible that the two "friends" were actually dating secretly, thus not wanting to start any relationship, fake they may be? The source suggest so, and the facts seem to support that.

According to our informer, Tea and Mokuba Kaiba are together. The only reason they haven't made it public is due to the age difference between them. Tea is older than Mokuba, 5 years to be exact. Though the two don't seem to mind the age difference, their friends and family members think otherwise. It is no secret that Seto Kaiba and Mokuba Kaiba have not been on speaking terms for a few years now. No one knows the reason why the two drifted apart, when they used to be practically inseparable. The source claims that Tea Gardner was the reason. Seto Kaiba, being the strict, cautious, and concerned parental figure in Mokuba's life, was less than thrilled upon learning of his brother's relationship with Tea. He immediately asked his brother to break up with the actress, but drunk with young love, Mokuba refused. This led to a huge disagreement between the two brothers, and brought them to the state they are at today.

But the source claims age difference wasn't the only reason Seto Kaiba was less than thrilled to see his brother with Tea. The reason was very personal, and up until today, hasn't even crossed the minds of anyone who possess the ability to think. The reason you ask? Tea's attraction to the older Kaiba.

Yes, it seems unrealistic, shocking, downright a lie, but it is quite true, according to the source. Tea Gardner did live in Domino for 17 years, and did see the rise of the prodigy that is Seto Kaiba. And like every teenage girl, she developed a crush on the attractive businessman. The source states that she tried to get his attention numerous times, failing miserably each time. She even went so far as to confront him and make her feelings known, but Seto Kaiba's refusal left her heartbroken. Tea was crushed when she found out about Seto Kaiba's relationship with Serenity Wheeler, now his girlfriend of four years, so she left Domino. Little did she know that Seto Kaiba's refusal would turn out to be beneficial for her, and bring her unimaginable popularity and success. But did it bring her a cure for her heartache?

The source claims the answer is 'No'. Tea is still in love with the older Kaiba the same way she loved him years ago. Then why is she dating the younger Kaiba you ask? Maybe for revenge? Maybe to show the older Kaiba what he has missed? Maybe to show him what he lost? Once again, the answer is no. The source claims that she is doing it to get to the older one.

Everyone knows that even though Mokuba does not hold his brother in high regard today, Seto feels the opposite. He is still fiercely protective of his younger brother, and loves him like a son. No one is closer to Seto than Mokuba, and is the best and the easiest way to get to him. And that's why Tea is using him. She is using him as a stepping-stone to get to the main goal, the business tycoon, the one and only Seto Kaiba. The source claims that it is the whole reason behind her visit to the city, her happy relationship with Mokuba, and her agreement to advertise Kaiba Corp's latest product, Duel Disk VX.

As interesting as the story may sound, _Domino Entertainment_ does not claim it to be true or false. Domino Entertainment can't verify the alleged closeness of the source to Tea or Mokuba, or the information given by the source. But we can safely assume that not everything written above is a lie. Among the many theories lies the truth. And it is up to our readers to identify for themselves the facts from lies.

* * *

Kaiba Corp. seemed to buzzing more than usually with life and noise, much to Seto's distaste. Everyone was dressed in his or her best clothes, waiting for the diva to arrive. They held posters tucked under their arms, cameras in their nervous hands, and autograph books in their pockets and purses. The whole building was in a state of chaos and disorder because of _her_ arrival. Seto still found himself shocked and amazed at the amount of success and popularity she had achieved in four short years.

He sighed and hastily walked towards his office, wanting to get away from all her admirers. Once inside his office, he took a deep breath and sat in his large leather chair. His gaze flickered to the single drawer that remained locked at all times whether he was in the office or not, the drawer that only he had the key for, the key that he kept with him at all times. He was tempted to open it, just to stare at it for a few moments before she arrived, but decided against it. It would do him no good, not with her to come before him in a few minutes. He sighed and closed his eyes.

She had changed.

Sure people changed over time, but Seto believed that the nature of a person could never change. Deep inside, the person remained true to his or her core. Tea, too, had completely changed her personality from being the sweet, shy, innocent, conservative, and kind-hearted person to a confident, strong, bold, and sexy vixen. But one question lingered in his mind. Was this change permanent or just like his theory, his belief, she was the same person deep inside?

His eyes roamed across the room, finally resting on the open page of _Domino Entertainment_. He had never bothered with such garbage before, but this particular article had caught his eye. He picked it up and scanned it quickly with weary eyes. He had a pretty good idea who the "source" was. His concern lay in the information presented regarding his and Mokuba's relationship, and it's connection to Tea. Even though the person writing this probably gathered selective points to make a juicy story, there was no denying that it did contain some truth. Their relationship _had_ suffered a great deal due to his breakup with Tea. But that was the least of his worries.

_She is using him as a stepping-stone to get to the main goal, the business tycoon, the one and only Seto Kaiba. _

His gut twisted as he read the statement again. That couldn't possibly be true. Tea wasn't like that. She would never stoop to such low levels.

But she had changed. He didn't know this new Tea. This was a whole new person with a completely different attitude. What if her values were different as well? What if she really was using Mokuba to get to him? What if she was using Mokuba to hurt him? What if she was planning to hurt Mokuba knowing that would hurt him the most?

No. She wasn't like that. She was an honorable person. She loved Mokuba. She would never hurt him.

But mental anguish and the desire for revenge could drastically change a person. And if there was one thing he was sure of, it was the fire of anger and revenge that he had seen lit in her eyes.

_Tea is still in love with the older Kaiba the same way she loved him years ago._

How he desperately wished for it to be true. How he desperately wanted it to be true among all the other rubbish, but he feared it was farthest from the truth. He had seen it in her eyes. Her eyes had always been uniquely expressive, and with his analyzing skills, he could always read her like a book. Sadly, her eyes still remained as expressive as ever, but now they expressed dislike, anger, and dare he say… hate. He cringed inwardly.

Hate. It was a powerful word, at the same level as love. Surely she wouldn't feel such a strong negative emotion towards him… would she? He hated this. Never in his life had he felt so unsure, and never had he felt such insecurity.

Shuffling footsteps outside his room halted his thinking process, bringing him to the sudden realization that she must have arrived. As if the hurrying footsteps towards the elevator weren't enough, excited voice echoed through the rapidly becoming silent hallways. Another sigh escaped his lips. He wondered if he should go down now and rain on everyone's parade, or wait it out? Taking a deep breath, he got up. It was time to confront Tea Gardner.

* * *

As usual, people around her screamed and cheered, and as practiced, she smiled and waved. Just an ordinary day in the life of the movie star Tea Gardner, but quite a special day in the life of Tea Gardner. Today was the day she was getting acknowledgement from the Kaiba Corp. staff. The staff that worked under the infamous Seto Kaiba not only respected her more than their boss, but wasn't afraid to risk their job to act unprofessionally in her presence. And this made her feel… good. It made her feel extremely good. She glowed in pride as men around her moved at her command, getting her a comfy chair to sit in, a coffee to drink, and a variety of baked goods when she expressed her misfortune of missing breakfast.

"Tea, Tea, I'm from _Domino Entertainment_, one question please?" Though various reporters had managed to sneak into Kaiba Corp. lobby despite the best efforts of security, Tea only acknowledged one.

"Oh hi." She said with an amused smile, staring at the young female reporter. "How are you?" The girl seemed baffled at such a cheery response.

"I'm fine." She finally said. "Would you be so kind to answer a question?"

"After your oh-so-interesting article about me," Tea said in sugary sweet voice, much like the donut she was eating, causing the reporter to flush in embarrassment, "of course."

"Well, since you have read the article we published about you, what are your comments on that? Would you like to say anything to deny or confirm?" The room grew eerily silent, clearly indicating that almost everyone in the room awaited her answer. She let out a small chuckle.

"Yes. I read the article. It was very interesting. Kudos to the person who came up with that story. Highly creative, but as with almost all of your juicy tabloid stories, completely untrue." Her tone changed from playful to strict. "Mokuba is nothing more than a good friend. We have been friends for years and over the passage of time, the friendship has only strengthened, not changed into romantic interest. I won't deny that I love Mokuba, but I love him like a brother. And having tabloids say such nasty things about our relationship is vulgar." Everyone decided to voice their opinions at that point, shouting against the media and applauding Tea. The reporter flushed further, but recovered immediately, asking another question.

"But what about Seto Kaiba?" The silence that followed this was deathly. She was sure she could hear the people around her trembling with anticipation. She smirked and glanced around the room, her eyes finally landing on icy orbs staring back at her.

"I assure you, I have _no_ feelings, whatsoever, for Seto Kaiba."

His heart sank to the pit of his stomach as the words escaped her lips. There. She had said it. She had confirmed his worst fears. She didn't harbor any feelings for him. She didn't love him. She had moved on.

Suddenly, anger began pulsing in his veins. So what if she didn't have any feelings for him. Why did he care? He didn't harbor any feelings for her either. After all, it was why he had left her.

Eyes still locked with Tea, he stepped out of the shadows and spoke in a booming voice.

"What is going on here?" Immediately, the crowd began dissipating, though half heartedly, shooting her fleeting glances.

"Who let the reporters in?" Seto bellowed at his security. "I specifically said I didn't want them anywhere near Kaiba Corp. Get them out." The reporters didn't need the bulky men of Kaiba's security team to show them the door. Seto's booming voice had them running through the door before anyone could blink. With the pest problem under control, Seto turned to Tea, eyes so hard they could drill a hole through the toughest of metals. Instead of flinching or withdrawing her gaze, she stared back with same intensity.

"Let's go." Seto said in a strained voice. Tea gathered her stuff with elegance and followed him to the elevator. No words were exchanged between the exes. Tea continued sipping her coffee and Seto continued glaring into thin air. The elevator doors closed and suddenly, the small space seemed to feel even smaller. The tension seemed to have shrunk the space. Seto studied her from the corner of his eyes.

"I see you've debased yourself to manipulating people." He said dryly. Her gaze did not flicker, even for a nanosecond, as she replied in a biting tone.

"But I'm still not on the same level of lowliness as you yet. Because then, I'd have to master lying, deceiving, cheating, and back stabbing."

"Tea-." Seto immediately turned to face her, but was interrupted by the "ding" of the elevator. The doors slid open and in came Shinn Hariguka.

Seto grudgingly withdrew from her small frame, shooting Shinn a nasty glare.

"Am I interrupting something?" Shinn asked in a confused voice. Seto sneered and turned his face away, not willing to even acknowledge the question. Tea, however, smiled and shook her head.

"Oh nothing. Mr. Kaiba was just explaining to me the principles by which he leads he life and this company." Tea said, waving her hand dismissingly. Seto stiffened besides her.

"Mr. Kaiba is quite charismatic." Shinn said and Tea smiled even more.

"I agree. I hope I'm not too late for the meeting."

"Not at all. Actually, I'm glad I found you here. I was about to send someone to rescue you from the crazy mob downstairs." Shinn said good-naturedly, and a smile appeared on Tea's face.

"I didn't mind being mobbed." Shinn chuckled lightly. The elevator "dinged" again and they stepped out.

"Ok Miss Tea, we have everything ready." Shinn spoke in a professional tone. "We will start with the photo shoot for magazine ads and billboard posters. And then, later we can shoot the commercial."

"Sounds good." Tea said and followed the two men into a huge room that looked very much like a studio. Cameras had been set up, lights were shinning, and people were buzzing about, fussing over equipment. Upon her entrance, they all crowded her.

"Leave her alone." The loud voice belonging to Mokuba caused them to reluctantly pull away, giving her room to breathe. She smiled and hugged the teen, careless of Seto's jealous glare and the whispers circulating around the room at her action.

"I just saw your outfit. You're going to look so hot." Mokuba said in an excited voice.

"It better not be too revealing. Stan's on my case and I don't want to annoy him any more." Tea said and Mokuba chuckled.

"Don't worry. I was the censor. I made sure it wasn't Mai or Serenity like." Both shared a laugh at that. Shinn approached them.

"Miss Tea, we need you to get ready for the photo shoot." She nodded her head and followed a crewmember into a small room. She came out 20 minutes later, dressed, her make-up and hair done. Everyone's jaws hit the floor.

She wore a tube top that came up to her midriff, accenting her perfectly sculpted torso. It was metallic silver in color. She wore similar colored short shorts that drew attention to her long and perfect legs. A sleeveless trench coat adorned with silver buttons, metallic blue in color, finished her look. It came up to her mid-thighs and gave a sense of power and confidence.

"Well?" Tea said with a blush, wanting to get them out of their trance.

"I think we better warn the hospitals. There are going to be a lot of accidents on the road with your picture on a billboard." Mokuba said with a wink. Others were quick to voice their agreement, commenting her.

"Ok people, enough gaping. Let's get working." Shinn said with a clap of his hands, and immediately, people began doing what they had been doing. A man in his mid thirties came forth, identifying himself as the photographer. He motioned for her to stand before a plain background and adjusted his camera. On his instructions, Tea began posing for the ads.

Seto stood in a corner, pretending to watch the happenings with a critical eye. But his mind was focused on Tea.

Mokuba had told the truth when he said he was the censor for the outfit. But even he didn't know that Seto was the designer of the outfit. He had chosen the colors, and presented the idea of a trench coat. His inspiration had come from the blue eyes white dragon which was composed of identical colors. Plus, from his past experience, he knew what colors suited her. The idea of a trench coat was something personal from their past.

(Flashback)

_"Where are we going?" Tea asked curiously as she glanced around. She had been enjoying her evening date with the Kaiba brothers when the older one had stolen her from the younger one, claiming to show her something. Now, Seto was leading her up a winding staircase situated in the part of a mansion she had never seen before._

_"You'll see." He said coyly. She let out a loud breath of frustration but continued to follow him. They ended up before a small metal door. Seto opened the door and Tea felt a gust of fresh air hit her face. They were on the roof of the Kaiba mansion._

_"Wow." Tea said as she glanced around. " I never knew there was a way to the roof."_

_"We use this route when we need to use the copter from here." Seto said, pointing to the giant machine carrying Kaiba Corp's emblem. "I sometimes come here for fresh air and to escape the hectic mess my life is." Tea nodded her head. Her eyes fell on a small blanket that was placed on the floor._

_"You planned this?" She asked in surprise. He smirked and began walking towards the blanket. She joined him and they sat down. Tea wrapped her arms around him in a gentle hug._

_"It's so calm and serene up here." She closed her eyes and listened to the quiet hum of the cool wind._

_"Open your eyes." She heard Seto whisper in her ear. "I want you to see something." She did as told and followed his arm pointing to the sky. Up there, a million stars greeted her. Her face broke in a huge grin._

_"They look so beautiful." Then a sly grin took over her features and she turned to face him. "Seto, I didn't know you were such a romantic softy at heart." He smirked and placed a small kiss on her lips._

_"Only for you." She blushed as he kissed her again, pushing her down on the blanket and climbing on top of hers. They finally parted lips, and Seto rested his forehead against hers._

_"Did you ever think this would happen?" She asked, her finger tracing the side of his face in a loving manner._

_"What?" He asked, turning his head to kiss her hand._

_"Me and you, together. Did you ever this we would be romantically involved?" Seto let out a small chuckle._

_"Honestly, no. I never thought you'd be here, lying under me, letting me touch you and kiss you." She blushed at his words. "I always thought you'd end up with Yugi. But I won't say I never wished it." Her eyes widened at his confession and he planted another small kiss on her lips. " I was attracted to you, but because of the hostility between us, I believed there was no room for anything else to exist. I guess I was wrong." She smiled and took the initiative to kiss him this time. They had been together for a grand total of three weeks and slowly, she felt that she was getting to know the real Seto Kaiba._

_"Did you?" Seto tossed the question back at her._

_"No. But I was attracted to you too, since the day you stepped into our classroom." She admitted with a blush and he smirked._

_"I never knew you crushed on me for so long." He said slyly and she huffed._

_"I didn't crush on you. I admitted you were handsome and talented and smart." His smirked widened at her words, but she continued. "And rude and mean and arrogant and a jerk." He actually let out a small laugh at that._

_"You left out rich, powerful, and sexy."_

_"I didn't care much about those attributes." She replied honestly. "Plus your other less charming qualities seemed to overshadow them." Seto leaned into her more, pressing his body firmly atop hers and whispered._

_"What do you think now?" She stared into his arctic blue eyes that were emitting warmth only for her, and said._

_"Now I know that you are a very kind and caring person. You are sweet, considerate, and selfless. And you are incredibly romantic and ridiculously sexy." As soon as she had finished, Seto smashed his lips against hers, immediately demanding access to her mouth. She was slightly taken back at his aggressiveness but responded quickly, parting her lips for his invading tongue. Seto groaned in satisfaction as his tongue swept the insides of her mouth, reveling in the sweet taste that was unique to her. They finally pulled apart, both gasping desperately for breath._

_"And what did you think about that?" Seto asked her with a smirk, his chest heaving above hers._

_"Wow. Just… wow." She said with a blush, not knowing what else to say. Her mind was still buzzing with the pleasure from the mind-boggling kiss. Seto laughed and moved off her._

_"Don't look so sad." Seto teased, noticing the look of slight disappointment on her face. "We'll get plenty of chances to do that, and a lot more." He said suggestively. "Let's just enjoy the view for now." He turned his head to look at the sky. She followed suit, watching the many stars twinkle._

_"They look so beautiful." She said. "I never bothered to pay attention to them before."_

_"The best is always before our eyes. We just never bother to pay attention." Seto said. Tea stared at him for a while before turning back to star gazing. A blast of cold wind hit her legs and she shivered slightly. If she had known that she would be up on the roof at night, she would have bothered to wear pants and a full sleeved shirt, not a mini skirt and a tank top. Seto noticed her discomfort and took his trench coat off, placing it gently on her._

_"Seto?" She gave him a questioning look. He shrugged his shoulders and said._

_"I don't need it. But if you don't take it, you'll get a cold and the mutt would accuse me of trying to kill you." She giggled and squeezed his torso in a crushing hug._

_"Thanks so much." She wrapped it tightly around her body and smiled broadly. "See, I knew you were kind and caring." He just shrugged his shoulders and looked up at the sky._

_"Seto, do you star-gaze often?" She inquired curiously._

_"No." He replied. "Only when it's needed."_

_"Needed?" She asked in confusion. He seemed hesitant to answer, but gave in after a while._

_"I star-gaze when I'm away on business. The stars remind me of home." She stared at him in wonderment. "They remind me of the mischievous twinkle in Mokuba's eyes when he's up to something. And recently, they seem to remind me of the way your eyes light up when you smile." She flushed at his confession. "They make me feel at ease, like I'm where I belong." Silence followed his confession during which Seto wondered if he should have divulged that information to her, while she just stared at him._

_"You always surprise me with everything you say and everything you do." Tea said in a soft voice. "I feel like I'm meeting you for the first time." He chuckled, and she continued. "I used to have the same thinking during Duelist Kingdom and Battle City. Every night, I'd stare at the stars and wish everything would be okay. The stars used to calm me down. I don't know how, but every time I looked at them, I felt calm and relaxed. I felt like there was still time for us to make things right. They used to give me hope and strength. That's how I made it through the horrors of Duelist Kingdom and rare hunters." Seto smiled at her and glanced around, his eyes landing on a horde of clouds approaching them. He knew it wouldn't be long before they would hide the stars from their vision._

_"Come on, let's go downstairs." He said with a frown. "It's getting late." They got up, collected the blanket, and proceeded downstairs. "I'll take you home." Seto offered and held out his hand. She placed her hand in his, but he shot her an exasperated look._

_"Tea, I want my coat." She quickly wrapped her arms tightly around her and the coat, refusing to give it to him._

_"I'm keeping it as a souvenir from this date."_

_"You can't wear it. People will start ridiculous stories about your affair with me." Seto said in frustration. "And I don't want to deal with all that."_

_"I won't wear it outside." She told him._

_"Then why keep it?" He inquired._

_"Because I want to." She said stubbornly and he sighed in defeat. "But when we tell everyone about us, I'm going to wear it all the time." Seto wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear._

_"Then I'd want you to wear it to tell everyone that you belong to me. That you are mine." She shuddered against him and he had half the mind to drag her to his bedroom and make her do more than just shudder. But instead, he led her out of the mansion and into his car so he could take her home._

(End flashback)

It was his one possession that she loved to wear, and tease him about. It was the one thing he used to wrap her in during cold nights when they ventured to the roof to spend nights gazing at the stars. It was the only thing he owned that she had actually asked to have. It was what connected them when he was away on business trips, for she claimed to feel his presence in that piece of material. It was something he was recognized by, his trademark outfit, his trademark look. And now, after four long years, she wore it. She wore a trench coat and damn it all, she looked sexy. Never in his life had he seen a woman look so sexy, so seductive.

But most importantly, she looked like a Kaiba. He wondered what people would think, what the tabloids would assume when they saw her wearing the colors of his favorite monster and his signature trench coat. He knew papers would be covered with stories of their secret romance, but he knew deep down inside, he wanted it. He wanted them to bring up that topic, hoping against all see-able odds that it would remind her of their beautiful relationship. That it would wake up her suppressed emotions.

"Beautiful." He heard the photographer whisper and Seto silently agreed with him. No doubt she was beautiful. She was very beautiful indeed.

"So damn sexy." The photographer whispered again, but in a heated tone. Seto's eyebrows furrowed in distaste. That wasn't very professional. Suspicion grew in his mind and he approached the man who was still engrossed in capturing Tea's beauty in a picture.

"Move. I want to see what you've gotten so far." Seto said in a rough voice. The man's face went pale.

"But it's not finished yet. It's best that I edit the pictures first." He stammered.

"No. I want to see them now." Seto said, anger replacing suspicion. Everyone, including Tea and Mokuba, was now watching him in confusion.

"But sir-." The man tried again, but Seto grabbed him by the collar and threw him away.

"Mr. Kaiba." Many said in shock as they helped the man up. Seto ignored their pitiful objections and began scrolling through the pictures that had been taken. As more and more pictures passed his eye, his blood boiled in anger. Besides a few decent pictures, every other picture was of Tea's chest, pelvis, and legs.

"Fuck." Seto screamed in anger, and threw the camera on the carpeted floor. Around him, people flinched in fear. Seething, Seto advanced towards the photographer who, sensing Seto's murderous intentions, resorted to begging.

"I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba. I didn't mean—ugh." A groan finished his sentence because Seto had punched him square in the jaw.

"Mr. Kaiba." Shinn gasped in shock as he ran towards the enraged man. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to kill this bastard." Seto yelled in rage, violently punching the now bleeding man. "And I'll fire anyone who comes near me." His threat worked effectively to ward off anyone who had plans to stop him, so he continued to vent off his anger. Behind him, Shinn continued to plead for him to stop.

Tea and Mokuba watched the ordeal take place in shock. Seto had his back to them so they couldn't exactly see what was happening, but Seto's movements, his grunts, and the man's painful screams were enough to give them a good idea if not a clear picture. Neither had ever seen Seto act like this before. Tea glanced at Mokuba to see if he was going to take any action to stop his brother. Finding him frozen on spot, she knew it was up to her to take matters in her own hands. She took a hesitant step towards the enraged male.

"Kaiba, stop it." She said, hoping it would be enough to get him to stop, yet knowing it won't. Her eyes caught a red spot on the floor, a spot that was steadily increasing. She panicked realizing it was blood. She increased her pace, almost running towards the two, and almost let out a small scream at the sight that greeted her. The man's face was barely recognizable, being swollen with bruises and covered with blood that seeped from his forehead, mouth, and nose. His clothes were rumpled and bloody.

"Kaiba stop it this instant." Tea screamed at him, but he either didn't listen or decided to ignore it. He raised a bloody fist again and punched the man across the jaw. When he raised his arm to hit again, Tea quickly grabbed it, holding it tightly against her body to stop it from causing any more harm.

"Kaiba stop. He'd die if you keep beating him like this." She yelled in desperation, but Seto didn't obey. He violently struggled against her hold to free his arm and hit again.

"You could be in serious trouble. You can go to jail. Be reasonable." She pleaded.

"Reasonable?" Seto screamed, almost knocking her off her feet in shock and fear. "I am being reasonable. This bastard deserves to be killed. And I'll kill him." He struggled to free his arm again. Tea's body jerked forward at the impact of his strength, but she refused to let go.

"No. Don't do it. Stop." She begged him, but his mind was clouded with rage. He was venting out his frustrations on this poor man and no one would be able to stop him. He managed to free his arm and raised it above his head, ready to punch the man again.

"SETO." Tea screamed in absolute desperation, not knowing what else to do. His arm froze in mid air, his breath coming out raggedly. With a loud grunt, he threw the man on the floor and got up. His eyes locked with Tea's fearful ones for a moment before he retired to the corner where he had originally stood. Many people quickly went to the beaten photographer, trying to desperately to stop his bleeding and calling the emergency services. Shinn went to Seto.

"Mr. Kaiba, with all due respect, have you lost your mind? Why did you attack him?"

"He deserved it, and a lot more." Seto said through clenched teeth. "Just look at the pictures." Mokuba and Shinn quickly went to the digital camera and browsed through the pictures, their looks of curiosity turning into disgust and anger. Mokuba took a threatening step towards the now unconscious man, but Shinn held his arm.

"He's already in too much pain." Mokuba glared at the photographer before grabbing the camera.

"I'm keeping this to make sure these don't turn up on the internet tomorrow." Mokuba said and Shinn nodded his head.

"Please come with me. We need to help him." Mokuba turned to find Tea walking towards Seto. He contemplated on what to do before following Shinn.

Tea approached Seto, carefully and hesitantly. Her eyes swept over his slouched figure and she knew he was fatigued. She glanced at his hands covered in blood, the photographer's blood. She went for her bag and took out a napkin.

"Here." She said, offering the napkin to Seto. He stared at her in surprise and took it mutely, using it to clean his hands. She patiently watched him clean his one hand and proceed to the other. But soon, his first hand was supporting red color again. It hadn't all been the photographer's blood. Some of it had been his as well.

"You're hurt." She gasped and quickly went to her bag where she always kept a small first-aid kit. She brought it to Seto and sat on the floor beside him, slightly standing on her knees. Very gently, she took his hand in hers and cleaned the blood and the wound before wrapping the bandage around it. All the while, Seto only watched her.

"Why did you do it?" She asked, having finished with one hand and proceeding to hold the other.

"He was taking advantage of you." Seto replied in a gruff voice. "He was molesting you." His hand tightened in a fist within her small one. "He was treating you like an object."

"And how is that different than how you made me feel?" She asked in a curt voice, causing him to stiffen.

"Tea, I-." He began speaking but she cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear anything you have to say." Her eyes remained fixed on his hands as she spoke. Her hands trembled slightly as she tightly wrapped the bandages around his palms and knuckles. "I know what you are trying to do, and… I don't need you to protect me." This part she whispered as she stood up. Her eyes met his, fiery blue against arctic. "I don't need you." With that, she turned away from him and walked towards Shinn.

"I think there is no point for me to stay here anymore." She said in a professional tone. "Let me know when you have another photographer available." Shinn nodded, apologizing repeatedly for this mishap. Tea nodded her head and followed Mokuba out of the room. Seto just watched her disappear from his line of sight.

_I don't need you. _

Her words stung him like a thousand poisoned needles. But there was nothing he could do about the pain or the situation. He had sown the seed of hate in her heart and he feared that forever he may have to taste it's bitter fruit.

* * *

The room was stuffed with people of all kinds, mingling and chattering amongst themselves excitedly. In a corner, Seto sat, face betraying the storm that raged in his mind. Besides him sat his "friends" who looked just as tense as him, and his "girlfriend" who was quite angry.

"Where is that bitch?" Serenity said through clenched teeth. And Seto wondered the same thing. Today was the launching of Duel Disk VX. A huge party was thrown and everyone who was someone in the business industry was invited. But the star of the campaign, the person who more than half of the guests came to see was nowhere to be seen.

"She's probably trying to be fashionably late." Mai said with a roll of her eyes and turned to Seto. "Now if you had me in the campaign, I wouldn't have wasted your time like this." She pointed out. Seto only grunted, not paying heed to a word that came out of her mouth. His concentration was focused on Tea and their situation.

The day she left, he had come to the realization that she had meant more to him that he had previously imagined. The guilt clawed at his heart every time he thought about her. In the beginning, he had placed the blame on Mokuba, identifying him as the reason for the bothersome feeling. How he now regretted those times he had cursed her to hell and beyond for destroying his life. How he regretted wishing her ill fate, pain, and misery every moment of her life. Of course then he blamed Tea for his ruined relationship with his little brother. But even then, the news of his disappearance had rendered him senseless. Like a panicked child lost in a crowd, he wanted to look for her, scream for her, and find her, but like a caged tiger, he felt trapped within the walls of his pride and ego. They barricaded the only way his heart had chosen to find happiness.

Days passed and Mokuba continued the process of ignoring his only living blood relative. But weeks passed, months turned into years and neither a word from Tea, nor a sign. She had disappeared off the face of the earth. Nightmares plagued his nights, while memories haunted his days. He felt he was in hell. In desperation, he turned to Serenity, his _choice_, to find comfort and peace. But the only thing he found out was how big a mistake he had made in choosing her over Tea. Serenity was no better than a whore who only knew how to use her body to get what she wanted. Alas, it wasn't enough to grant him peace and a good night's sleep.

For the past four years, he had lived in regret, wishing he could go back in time and fix what he had wronged. He breathed anger and hatred for Tea for rendering him so weak, so needy, so helpless, so pathetic. Yet at the same time, his heart yearned to hold her in his arms, touch her, kiss her, and sleep peacefully in her embrace. His eyes thirsted to catch a glimpse of her smiling face. His ears longed to hear her melodious laugh. He was so desperate that he was willing to throw aside his pride and beg her for forgiveness. But forgiveness never came easy.

_I don't need you_, she had said, but he was just realizing how much he needed her. He knew that deep down inside, she felt for him. Her heart had poured out her locked feelings when he had defended her honor. The way she had tended to his wounds so tenderly spoke volumes of her feelings, no matter how much she denied them. And that gave him hope. She was angry, no doubt, but she possessed a kind heart, and he planned to use it to get through to her. He would break through her denial and make her his.

The excitement in the room suddenly went up many notches and he knew she had arrived. And soon enough, his eyes rested on her petite figure. Clad in a midnight blue gown that accented her every curve, she looked heavenly. The gown was strapless and did well to showcase her shoulders. The material was silky and soft looking, drawing attention to her creamy skin that lay underneath. A beautiful sapphire necklace adorned her neck, drawing the eyes to her chest and neck, but keeping it focused on it as well. She walked on Mokuba's arm, smiling and waving at the crowd. She passed their table without so much as a glance. All the while, his eyes remaining focused on her. She seated on a table besides theirs and began a small conversation with the people that surrounded her table.

"Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention please?" Shinn spoke over the microphone, halting eager guests from harassing Tea any further. "As you all know very well, Kaiba Corp. is launching its newest product in the line of dueling technology, the Duel Disk VX." He paused and people clapped politely. Shinn continued speaking, but Seto was focused on the beauty sitting not too far away from him.

His eyes caressed her silky soft hair, his fingers tingling with the memory of the feel. He gazed at her swan like neck, replaying the many times he had had the pleasure to kiss the sensitive skin there. Her chest had grown, and was enough to turn any man a lusting beast. Her waist remained as small as he remembered, petite and delicate. And those legs went on forever. She had definitely grown into a beautiful woman and he longed to tell her that.

"And the star of our campaign is none other than the world famous Tea Gardner." Shinn's voice boomed over the crowd and deafening applause followed. Beside him, Serenity and Mai muttered under their breaths, jealousy radiating off them.

"And now, I'd like to show you the commercial that will be aired tomorrow morning." Shinn said and pressed a button on a remote before getting off the stage. Every eye in the room was focused on a giant screen, including Seto's. Though he had seen the ad many times before, he couldn't help but want to watch it again.

The commercial began with Tea standing in the middle of a horde of reporters all asking her various questions. She wore the white outfit with the blue trench coat.

'What is your favorite color? What is your favorite food? What do you like to do in your spare time? What is the one thing you enjoy the most?'

Tea gave a dazzling smile before walking away from the men and into a different frame depicting a living room. She let out a deep breath and slumped on a couch.

"Being a celebrity isn't easy." She said and sat up straight. "It's very hard to guard your secrets." Her smile turned sultry as she leaned forward in a sexy manner. All men seemed to shift in their seats.

"Want to know my guilty pleasure?" Her voice dropped another octave, barely above a heated whisper, and the men unconsciously leaned forward, not wanting to miss a letter. "I like to have company in the bath tub." The pulse of every male in the room quickened as the next frame slid in to cover half of the screen. The new showed a bathroom. Tea sat in a bathtub filled with lather that covered most of her body aside from the face, neck, shoulders, and the swell of her breasts. In her hands, she held a toy boat and a yellow rubber duck.

"Amused much?" The first Tea said with a smile as the frame slid to the left and out of sight, and the room filled with light chuckles. Her expression turned sultry again as she spoke.

"But now, I can have the company of masculine, muscular men without getting smeared all over the tabloids… with the new Duel Disk VX." The second frame consisting of her in a tub slid in again, now showing the duel disk resting on the edge of the tub and two handsome looking holograms battling on the edge of the tub. The first Tea took the new duel disk out and wore it on her arm as the second frame slid out of sight again.

"This new model is the latest in duel disk technology and one of a kind. It not only gives clear, and more realistic holograms, but it allows you to adjust the size of the holograms to your liking. So whether you are having fun." The second frame slid in, one warrior tossing the other in the tub as Tea pulled her legs to her chest and said. "Hey hey, out of the water and no peeking." The crowd chuckled again as the frame slid out again.

"Or just kicking some serious butt." The first Tea continued speaking, motioning to a TV behind her that was replaying her duel with Mai, currently on the part with Mai on the floor, defeat and exposed. "Duel Disk VX is the one for you." Her voice carried a tone of excitement as she spoke the next lines. "And it's in stores now. So what are you waiting for? Get off the couch, get the Duel Disk VX now, and get your game on." She ended with a strong pose, emanating confidence, and power, the duel disk displayed before her stomach. The frame froze, indicating the end of the ad and people rose to their feet, clapping thunderously. Seto smiled in satisfaction. The ad was quite interesting and satisfactory. It used many factors upon which the ad industry ran, including celebrity fame, humor, and sex appeal. And from the response he was getting, the choices he had made were perfect.

Before he could gloat to himself, people surrounded him, congratulating him on producing such a brilliant product and an even better advertisement. He turned his head to find Tea in a similar situation. A smile finally graced his features. The congratulations drawled out for a while, more and more people surrounding Tea to comment on her performance. Finally, the crowd dispersed thanks to Mokuba's efforts. Seto took this opportunity to approach her.

"Te—Miss Gardner, congratulations." He said in a professional tone, trying his best to keep his face and eyes to remain silent. She turned to face him with a small polite smile.

"You deserve all the praises Mr. Kaiba. I just did as I was told." Her unaffected attitude tore him apart. Did she not feel any kind of emotion when he came near her, or was she just good at shielding it from his prying eyes?

"Come on Tea, let's dance." Mokuba said, and grabbed her hand, talking her away from Seto, who watched with a look of longing in his eyes.

"Wow Tea, I'm really impressed." Mokuba said, holding her waist in his hand as he spun her around the dance floor. She beamed and answered.

"Thanks. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be."

"Well, I'm still very impressed and proud. You did great." Tea smiled and rested her head against his chest.

"I'm really thankful for all your help and support Mokuba. I hope you know that." Mokuba kissed the top of her head.

"I'm glad to be there for you. I love you." Tea wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled happily. They continued to move around to the music, ignorant to all the whispers and stares they were receiving. Suddenly, a smooth masculine voice broke them apart.

"Mind if I cut in?" The two slowly moved apart. Tea's eyes rested on the man who had interrupted them, and immediately her eyes lit up in joy. She threw her arms around him and squealed in excitement.

"Alistair."

...

* * *

Thanks for reading. Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

_..._

"Alistair." Tea squealed in excitement and threw her arms around the young man. He had crop cut red hair and gray eyes. His body moved back a step from the sudden impact but he recovered quickly and slowly placed his arms around the young woman.

"If I knew you had missed me that much, I would have shown my face sooner." Alistair said with a smile. Tea lifted her head from his chest to look at him.

"You were here all along? Why didn't you come sooner?" She pulled back from his body and punched him slightly on the chest. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to be here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming to Domino?" Alistair laughed slightly at all her questions and brushed a few strands of hair from her forehead in a loving manner.

"I wanted to surprise you." A smile broke on her face and she pressed her cheek against his chest against.

"Well, I'm very surprised and very happy too." Her grip on him tightened and she whispered. "I missed you." He smiled and bent to kiss the top of her head.

"I know. I missed you too." They remained locked in an embrace, not aware of the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, nor the numerous flashes of cameras.

"Do you want to dance?" Alistair asked. All he received was a big smile.

...

"Alistair?" Joey whispered to Kaiba. "As in Alistair Amelda? The leviathan freak?" Kaiba ignored Joey and kept his eyes focused on the dancing couple.

Amelda. She had chosen Alistair Amelda.

He had feared this. He had feared that perhaps there was someone who had replaced him in Tea's life. That's why she was so defiant against all her past emotions. But never had he imagined it to be someone like Alistair Amelda. Why did she choose _him_? She knew his past. She knew the kind of man he was. Then why him?

He watched them twirl and spin under the shinning lights, highlighting their smiling faces. He wasn't blind, nor an idiot. He had seen her reaction, and wasn't ignorant to the smile on her face, or the twinkle in her eyes. She was happy. She was happier than he ever remembered seeing her. He felt himself get sick.

...

"This is not going to be pretty." Tea muttered in a worried voice. Alistair raised an eyebrow in question and she sighed. "I got so excited and happy to see you that I forgot this was a secret. Now everyone is going to be on our tail, asking us all those questions." She buried her face in his chest and groaned. "I don't want to deal with that. I don't want to cook up any lies."

"We don't have to." His answer caused her to raise her head and stare at him in surprise. He chuckled at her expression. "Didn't you think I kept that in mind before coming here? I talked to Stan and he agreed. We think it's time we made our relationship public." Tea didn't bother concealing her squeal of joy and once again knocked Alistair back with a hug.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you." She had been wanting to make it public for a few months now, but Alistair and Stan maintained they would do it at the right time. And it seemed like the right time was now.

"You're welcome." Alistair said with a chuckle.

"Now we don't have to hide." Tea spoke excitedly. "We can go to restaurants and gatherings together, and not worry about getting a fake date to accompany us. And we don't have to worry about any scandals either. We can do normal couple stuff without the fear of getting caught."

"Yes." Alistair said. "Which means I can do this with pleasure." He held her chin tenderly and lowered his lips to meet her in a sweet kiss. Gasps filled the air, along with loud clicking and flashes, but the two lovers kept their eyes closed and their attention focused on each other.

Seto's heart sank as he watched the two lock lips. It wasn't just a nightmare. It was very real. Tea really was dating someone else. And by the looks of it, she just may be in love with someone else. Around him, people buzzed with conversation, all whispering to each other. Beside him, Serenity breathed in relief.

"So the bitch does have a master."

"And still, she runs wild to other men. What a whore." Mai muttered loud enough for their group to hear. No one bothered to reply or make a comment. Everyone was either too shocked or too amazed by the couple to register anything else in their minds. When Tea and Alistair broke the kiss, reporters surrounded them, wanting to be the first to speak to the couple. But the first to reach was Mokuba.

"Tea, why didn't you tell me?" His voice lacked any emotion. Tea looked nervously from Alistair to Mokuba. She knew Alistair didn't have a decent past with the Kaibas. But she hoped Mokuba would be able to put it behind him for her sake.

"Mokuba, I… I kind of predicted your reaction." She said in a nervous voice. "That's why I didn't tell you."

"You should have." Mokuba said, eyeing Alistair up and down. "It would have saved me a lot of trouble." Tea raised an eyebrow and Mokuba continued. " I thought it was some random guy, but now I'm relieved knowing it's Alistair." Both Tea and Alistair were surprised at his comment.

"I know about your past Alistair." Mokuba said. "I know about your brother and your company. I know you are a hard working, devoted, loyal, and a passionate human. I'm glad Tea chose you." As soon as he had finished, Tea leapt from Alistair's embrace and hugged Mokuba.

"Thank you." She whispered. "It means a lot to me that you approve Mokuba. It really does." Mokuba nodded. Alistair stepped forward and held his hand out.

"It's a pleasure meeting you Mokuba." Mokuba smiled and shook his hand.

"Same here." Just then, the reporters let it loose, throwing questions right and left.

"Ms. Tea, how long have you and Mr. Alistair Amelda been dating?"

"Why did you keep it a secret?"

"What about Mokuba?"

"Why are you dating a businessman? Why not a movie star, someone from your field?"

"Mr. Amelda, why didn't you reveal your relationship?"

Alistair wrapped his arms protectively around Tea and began taking steps back. Two bulky men appeared from behind him, working to keep the reporters at bay.

"Tea and I have been dating for nearly two years now. We didn't make it public because we didn't want the media attention. The rest of questions we will answer in press conference. For now, we have to leave. I haven't seen this woman in months and I want to spend some time with her." With that, they turned on their heel and practically ran out to their awaiting limo. Reporters chased them, wanting to snatch more pictures, but Tea and Alistair were quick and were soon behind the tainted windows of a moving vehicle, together, alone, and safe.

"Wow, that was fun." Tea said with an excited tone.

"Not as much fun as this." Alistair said in a deep voice, pressing his lips against her in a fierce kiss. Tea responded immediately, pressing her body against his. Their lips moved insistently against one another, tongues lashing out to taste each other. Alistair lowered Tea on the seat and climbed on top of her, all the while, keeping their lip lock maintained.

"God, I … missed you… so much." Tea whispered between kisses. Alistair removed his lips from her rosy ones and kissed her jaw, slowly sliding lower towards her neck. Tea gasped with pleasure, writhing under his ministrations. Alistair placed a small bite at the base of her neck, earning a deep moan. He growled low in his throat and began sucking harshly on the spot he had bitten, determined to leave a mark. Tea's eyes rolled back and her hands locked in his short hair, pulling him closer.

"Oh Alistair." She moaned and tugged on his hair, pulling him up to kiss him. Her hands snaked over his chest, delighting at the way the muscles rippled under her touch.

"Mr. Amelda, we have arrived." The driver's voice rang over the intercom, causing the two to break apart reluctantly. Alistair rested his forehead against hers, staring into her beautiful blue eyes.

"I really did miss you." He said. She smiled and gently kissed him.

"I can tell. Let's go inside and you can show me how much you really missed me." Her sensual voice had him growling and kissing her wildly again.

"I can't wait." He muttered between nips.

* * *

Mokuba whistled lowly as he entered the mansion. He threw his coat on a couch, knowing a maid will take care of it, and proceeded towards his room. He found his path blocked by the tall frame of his older brother. He frowned and tried to walk around the block, but Seto moved to effectively block him again.

"What do you want?" Mokuba asked in irritation. Seto frowned at his attitude, but decided now was not the time to chide him. Instead, he got right to the point.

"You knew about Amelda?" Mokuba shrugged his shoulders.

"I knew there was someone Tea was dating, but didn't know it was Alistair."

"And why didn't you tell me?" Seto demanded through clenched teeth. Mokuba glared at Seto and replied.

"Because that was none of your business."

"It is my business if I make it." Seto growled, taking a step towards Mokuba, but the latter was not intimidated.

"No matter what you do, you can't change her feelings. She is happy with Alistair. You should accept it and move on. I know she has." With that, Mokuba walked past his brother's still form.

* * *

"Hey Rosa, can I talk to you for a minute?" Mokuba said, entering the kitchen where the rest of the occupants of the mansion were eating breakfast.

"Of course Master Mokuba." The older woman said, turning her full attention to him.

"I've invited Tea and Alistair for dinner tonight. Do you think you can prepare some food for us?" Rosa smiled kindly and nodded her head.

"I'd love to. Just let me know what you want prepared."

"Nothing special. Tea just wants to meet you so I invited her over." Rosa stared at Mokuba in surprise.

"She wants to meet me?" Mokuba chuckled.

"Yeah. I told her all about you and she has been begging me to introduce her to you. So I thought of this shenanigan."

"That's very kind of her." Behind them, Serenity snorted, but Mokuba and Rosa ignored her.

"Just make anything, but nothing too fancy." With that, he turned to leave, but then quickly turned back. "And before I forget, she wants you to dine with us. So be ready." Rosa was surprised again and watched Mokuba leave before she called out to him.

"Master Mokuba, I have one more question." Mokuba turned around and motioned for her to speak. "Would Master Kaiba and Ms. Serenity be joining us?" Mokuba stiffened visibly and turned around.

"No. They won't." With that, he marched out. As soon, as he left, Serenity began shouting.

"As if we want to be in the company of that whore." Seto didn't reply.

* * *

"Welcome to the Kaiba mansion." Rosa greeted the two guests in the house. Tea took a step forward and held Rosa's hand.

"It's such a pleasure to meet you. Mokuba told me all about you and got me excited to meet you." Rosa blushed in embarrassment.

"I can't imagine what he must have said to get you excited about me." Tea smiled gently and spoke.

"He said you've been a pillar of support for him. He is grateful to you and so am I." Rosa felt her face redden even more.

"Please, come in. Master Mokuba is at the balcony. I'll take you there." Tea nodded her head and followed Rosa inside the mansion, Alistair following closely.

Seto stood in a corner, carefully hiding himself from the people passing by. His eyes were focused on one person in particular. She looked even more beautiful today, wearing a rich red spaghetti strapped dress. Her hair were hanging loosely around her beautiful face, caressing her neck and shoulders. His view of her was blocked by the tall figure of Alistair. Seto's eyes narrowed in jealousy and anger and his lips sprouted out a swear directed at the lucky bastard.

The dinner proceeded nicely, everyone making light conversation. Surprisingly, Rosa felt comfortable talking to a celebrity like Tea. Even though Tea held more money, more power, and more fame then Serenity and Mai, Rosa noticed she was a much nicer person by nature as well. As soon as the dinner was over, Rosa began picking up the dishes. Tea offered to help, but Rosa declined. She also took her leave, citing she had to leave for home soon with the many autographed items Tea had given for Rosa's daughter.

"She was nice." Tea said as soon as Rosa left.

"Told you." Mokuba said smugly.

"So, do we get dessert?" Alistair asked causally, earning a giggle from Tea.

"Is food all you can think of?" He turned his body towards her and whispered.

"I can think of a lot other things, but all those involve you and me and no clothes." Tea blushed prettily and Alistair smirked. "I'm just distracting myself before I lose all control." Mokuba quickly got up.

"Let's get you some dessert." They shared a laugh, and walked towards the living room where Mokuba left them to get some ice-cream.

"This is a nice place." Alistair commented. "I think we should get a similar mansion." Tea nodded, shifting around to sit comfortably in Alistair's lap.

"You should stop this wiggling." Alistair said. "You're turning me on." Tea raised an eyebrow of surprise.

"Really. It's not my intention." She replied coyly. Before Alistair could reply, another masculine voice rang through the room.

"No one can tell what a woman's intentions are, no matter how genius he may be." Tea rolled her eyes and Alistair smirked.

"Kaiba. I was wondering when you were going to show your face." Kaiba glared at the male and appeared in sight, Serenity not far behind.

"And I was wondering when you were going to leave." Seto acidly replied. Alistair laughed.

"Always a pleasure to meet you Kaiba."

"Can't say the same for you." Seto bit back.

"Come on Kaiba, I'm trying to be nice here. but you are acting as if I have stolen your most precious possession." Seto growled. At that moment, Mokuba entered with bowls in his hands. He ignored Seto and Serenity completely and placed them on the table.

"Am I too late?" He asked, motioning to Tea sitting in Alistair's lap.

"No. You're right on time." Tea giggled and replied.

"Though I wish you were late." Alistair said good naturedly, earning a small slap from Tea, and earning a huge glare from Seto.

"Any particular reason you've graced us with your presence Kaiba?" Alistair asked. Seto glared harder.

"It's my house. I can go wherever I want."

"So you always come out of your hole to annoy the guests?" Alistair said as innocently as he could. Tea tried hard to suppress her smile, all the while slapping Alistair's shoulders to scold him.

"That wasn't nice." She said.

"You love it when I'm mean." Alistair pointed out.

"Never trust what a woman says." Seto said bitterly. "You never know what they hide in their heart. She may say she loves you to your face, but deep in her heart, she may hold the picture of another man."

"You're right." Alistair said casually. "But there are ways of finding out." He ran his fingers through Tea's hair, caressing her arm with other hand, and spoke. "When she whispers my name in her sleep, and when she screams my name when I make love to her, I get the assurance that maybe I'm the one." He leaned forward to kiss Tea slowly. "Besides, even if there is someone hiding in the corners of her heart, I will either drive him out or choke him in that dark corner, removing him completely." Seto balled his hands into fists, clenching his teeth at Alistair's reply. His anger doubled when he watched Tea lean forward to kiss Alistair.

"There is no one in my heart but you." She said. Alistair smiled.

"I know. But apparently, Kaiba needs assurance." Tea turned her head to lock her eyes with Kaiba.

"He can rest assured that I only have one man in my heart and that man is Alistair Amelda." Silence followed her words, during which, only heavy breathing could be heard. Mokuba finally broke the silence.

"So, you guys had an interview this morning. How did that go?" At that, Tea groaned and Alistair chuckled.

"It went well." Alistair said.

"No it didn't." Tea glared at him. "It was a disaster."

"What happened?" Serenity asked eagerly, hoping to get pleasure out of Tea's misery.

"Nothing much." Alistair replied causally. "I just said some things Tea didn't want the media to know."

"Like what?" Serenity's curiosity rose.

"He told them about our sex life." Tea said with a huge blush. Seto growled from his spot on the couch.

"I just told them you were great in bed." Alistair defended himself.

"You said I was a wildcat in bed." Tea said and Alistair kissed her.

"And I don't take it back."

"But the world doesn't need to know it." The two were completely ignoring the remaining occupants of the room and having their argument.

"It'll help all those people who picture you when they are with someone else. Right Kaiba?" Alistair words caused Seto to nearly jump off the couch and attack the snobby male.

"What are you trying to say?" Serenity demanded.

"Nothing." Alistair said carelessly.

"Well, Seto and I have a great sex life too." Serenity boasted.

"I don't doubt that." Tea said with a smirk, eyes focused on Seto.

"But you need more than that for a relationship." Alistair said. "You need trust, and we have plenty of that."

"Trusting an actor?" Seto said in an icy voice. "Seems like a bad decision to me. They are masters of disguise, wearing a new one on their face every day."

"Those disguises aren't always bad." Alistair said with a sexy smirk and Tea blushed.

"Don't you tell them." She warned.

"The best thing about being with an actor is the characters they play. Tea has probably fulfilled all of my sexual fantasies. I've gotten lap dances, pole dances, strip teases, you name it, and so I think I can live with the fact that she's an actor." Alistair finished with a smirk.

"Boy, you guys must be busy all the time." Mokuba commented with a laugh. Tea blushed even further.

"We get to see each other once a month, sometimes after even longer period of time, so we make good use of the time we do get to spend together." Alistair said, securing his hold on Tea.

"So you basically hump like rabbits whenever you see each other." Seto pointed out dryly. Besides him, Serenity giggled.

"Yeah." Alistair said, not at all embarrassed. "But we also treasure every second we get. We celebrate all the little moments, our first meeting, our first date, our first kiss, and the first time we-." He was cut off by Tea's hand clamping on his mouth.

"You're not telling them that." He pushed her hand away to speak.

"Why? It turned out okay in the end."

"Yes. But the beginning was embarrassing. You know he still teases me about it, telling me it's all because of him, and I should thank of him every time I'm with you." Tea said and Alistair laughed.

"Don't worry. You know he is joking. He says that to me all the time too."

"Who? Stop talking in riddles. Who are you talking about and what are you talking about?" Mokuba demanded.

"Tea didn't let me tell the press but I think I can tell you guys." Alistair said. "It's not like any of you would sell the story to press for cheap money. None of you are that low, at least I hope."

"Don't bet on it." Mokuba said under his breath.

"Anyway," Alistair said, "when we started dating, we didn't tell anyone except some very close friends, namely Stan, Joshua, Steven, and Valon."

"The other biker guy?" Mokuba wondered and Alistair nodded.

"When leviathan was defeated, Dartz disappeared and there was no one left to head Paradias Inc. So Rafael, Valon, and I decided to take matters into our own hands. We took control of the company and successfully expanded it, forming many branches in other countries. Rafael decided to head to Russia and stay at the branch there. Valon took Australia, and I was left with Europe, though I mostly stay in England or France. Valon comes to visit me often, especially when Tea is there too. It was during one of those days when both Tea and Valon were at my English mansion. We were having a small private pool party, just the three of us.

Flashback

_"You're it." Tea giggled as she tapped Alistair on the nose and swam away. Valon laughed as Alistair began chasing Tea around the pool._

_"Go get her tiger." He cheered and got out of the pool to sit at the edge and watch the two act like children._

_Tea continued giggling as she swam as fast as she could, occasionally diving to confuse Alistair. He was hot on her trail, a predatory expression on his face that sent chills down her spine, encouraging her to move even faster. But Alistair was a better swimmer. In no time, he was on her, his hand outstretched to tag her. Letting out a small shriek, Tea kicked back violently. She felt a small tug on her body as his hand tried to touch her, but with her kick, she managed to elude him. He had stopped chasing her. She turned her head to watch him._

_"Ha ha, you can't catch me." She turned around and stuck her tongue out at him playfully. But she got no response other than his wide open mouth and saucer like eyes._

_"What?" She asked in annoyance. Then, Alistair held up her bikini top. Immediately her eyes went to her revealed chest. She let out a small scream and ducked under water, her face red with embarrassment. Alistair slowly swam towards her. She moved back. Alistair stopped, and with his eyes averted at the water, he placed the bikini top on the water surface and pushed it towards her with a wave. She snatched it and turned her back towards him to put it on. All this time, Valon was laughing._

_"I… I should… go inside." Alistair said and quickly got out of the pool. Valon continued to laugh and followed him, leaving Tea alone to scream in frustration and embarrassment._

End flashback

"That was the first time I saw Tea without her clothes." Alistair said, chuckling at Tea's blushing face. "It made things very awkward between us. We avoided each other all day that day. But we encountered each other in the evening, and that was super awkward."

Flashback

_"Don't worry, he's not here." Valon said with a laugh, watching Tea scout the living room area. She blushed and took a seat on the couch._

_"I don't know what to do." She admitted. "It's all so… weird. I mean… so what if he saw me? He is my boyfriend. We are adults and this shouldn't be so awkward, but it is. And I don't know what to do." Just as she finished, Alistair stepped into the room. His eyes fell on Tea and he froze on spot._

_"Oh… I didn't… know you were here." He said awkwardly. Tea blushed seeing him and got up._

_"I think… I should leave." Alistair didn't reply._

_"Oh come on." Valon groaned and stood up as well. "You guys are freaking me out, and I can't take this anymore." He walked towards Alistair and before anyone could react, Valon yanked Alistair's pants down along with his underwear. Tea squeaked as her eyes fell on Alistair and she quickly turned her head away, her face red with embarrassment._

_"Valon, what the hell." Alistair yelled, pulling his pants up._

_"I'm trying to make things okay between you two. Now you both saw each other's precious body parts. So stop acting like idiots." He yelled in frustration and began walking out of the living room, mumbling under his breath._

End flashback

"That night was the first time we…" Alistair said with a laugh, but got punched by Tea before he could finish. "Well, you get the picture." He finished.

"No one wants to picture that." Seto grumbled out in jealousy. Alistair only laughed.

"Are you jealous Kaiba?" He asked slyly.

"I have no reason to be jealous." He said and got up. "It's getting late. You should leave." Mokuba got up as well, glaring at his brother.

"They are my guests. I get to decide when they leave." He said with stubbornness.

"That's fine Mokuba." Tea said, getting off Alistair's lap. "We need to get going anyway."

"Yeah. Thanks for the dinner and the entertainment." He said, motioning to Kaiba and Serenity.

"But you never ate any ice cream." Mokuba pointed out.

"I never had any appetite for this desert anyway." Alistair said with a wink. "I got my eye on something sweeter." He motioned to Tea who was getting her shawl. Mokuba laughed and bid them farewell, watching Alistair drive them out of the Kaiba mansion driveway.

"A pompous bastard, isn't he." Seto spoke in a tense voice behind him. Mokuba ignored the jealousy in his older brother's tone and proceeded towards his bedroom, Seto hot on his heels.

"He was flaunting Tea like a prize he owned." Seto said again.

"Why does it matter to you?" Mokuba said in a bored tone.

"He is using her. He probably wants the publicity to improve the reputation of his sorry excuse of a company."

"Last I checked, Paradias Inc was very successful even before they came out in public." Mokuba pointed out.

"Why are supporting that bastard?" Seto demanded in an angry voice.

"Why are so against him?" Mokuba countered.

"Because he is using Tea."

"I think you are just angry because you never got a chance to _use_ her." Mokuba scoffed. Seto appeared appalled.

"How dare you suggest that?" Mokuba didn't reply. He just entered his room and slammed the door, stopping his brother from making any more comments.

* * *

Tea smirked confidently as she entered _Domino Mega Showroom_, owned by her old buddies, Tristan and Joey. Her gaze wandered to come displayed cars, studying them carefully.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" She heard the familiar and oh-so-friendly voice of Joey Wheeler. With a poisonous smile, she turned to face him.

"I'm impressed with what you have done Joey." She said with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Using your sister to get Kaiba's money. Wow. You really are low."

"You bitch." Joey growled and took a threatening step towards her in anger. She stood her ground.

"You must make a lot of money." She said causally. "A stripper for a girlfriend, a whore for a sister, and _your own_ showroom bought and established with someone else's money. You're living the good life."

"Shut up. What the hell are you doing here? What do you want?" Joey growled. Tea kept that sweet smile on her face and replied.

"I am looking to purchase a car."

"I'm not selling you one. Get out." Joey growled.

"I'm a customer Mr. Wheeler. Why are you turning me away?" She faked surprise and hurt.

"I don't want to sell you anything. I don't want you to touch anything that belongs to me. Get out."

"You're being very rude." Tea pointed out. "I don't know what I have done to deserve such attitude. Is it because of what happened with your girlfriend? If that's the case, I assure you I didn't intend to humiliate her. She suggested the duel to embarrass me and her plan just backfired. Also, I wasn't aware of her agreement with Kaiba Corp for the campaign. I was only doing Mokuba a favor."

"I don't want to hear anything. You are a lying, conniving bitch, and if you don't get out of my showroom right now, I'll use force." Joey said.

"Are you threatening me?" Tea asked.

"Yes, and I am not afraid to go through with them either." Joey warned.

"I never thought you'd be so low." Tea said, before turning around to leave. Joey just swore at her. Before leaving, she turned her head and spoke over her shoulder.

"You don't know who you're messing with Joey. I'm not the same person who was forgiving and nice. You'll pay for what you did. That's a promise." With that, she exited. Joey watched her retreating back and swore a few times before entering his office.

"Bring me a coffee." He yelled into the intercom at his secretary. "And don't let any calls through for a while."

"Yes sir." He slammed the phone as soon as he heard her confirmation.

Bitch.

She had come to ruin his day, and had succeeded. But one thing bothered him. Why had she come there? She knew she wasn't welcome there. Then why had she come? Maybe to agitate him? Yes. That was the only explanation. She had come to enforce her superiority over him, but he had showed her. Joey Wheeler didn't bow down to anyone, especially not to someone who insulted his girlfriend and sister. Tea may be some famous celebrity, but he knew her to be a naïve loser. She had left thinking they would burn in guilt and search the seas for her. She must have been disappointed when that didn't happen, and now she had come back, hoping the guilt thing would work, and they would be at her feet, begging her forgiveness. Well, the delusional princess would have to wait a long time before Joey Wheeler bowed his head to the likes of her.

"Ring. ring." His phone rang. He glared at it in annoyance. He had told that useless secretary to hold his calls. He ignored the phone but it kept ringing and ringing. Overcome with anger, he picked it up.

"Who the hell is it?" He yelled.

"It's Tristan." The voice came from the other side.

"Oh, it's you. I thought it was some idiot." Joey said with a sigh.

"You are the idiot Joey." Tristan yelled. "What the hell did you do?"

"What are you talking about?" Joey asked in confusion.

"I leave for one day and I find out that everything collapses. Don't you have any sense?" Tristan's insults were enraging Joey to no end.

"Would you shut up and tell me why are you barking nonsense? What happened?"

"Why don't you turn on your plasma screen TV to the entertainment channel and see for yourself." Tristan said in a biting tone. Glaring in air, Joey did as told and watched. At the bottom of the screen, "Breaking News" was written in bold letter.

"You want me to watch that?" Joey asked in irritation.

"Just keep watching and you'll find out what you did." Tristan said and Joey continued watching. The reporter came on and began speaking.

"It is shocking but it is true. We all have seen it with our own eyes. We just saw Domino's very own Joey Wheeler act in a shameful manner towards Tea Gardner."

"What the hell?" Joey muttered in shock and continued to watch the telecast.

"Here's the video again, taken by a bystander with his cell phone." And then the video of their conversation from earlier that day began playing on TV. To Joey's surprise, only the last part of their conversation was being played. The beginning during which Tea had acted like a bitch was nowhere to be seen. And the last part with her threatening him was also omitted. He watched in horror as his threat was revealed to the world.

"Shit." He panicked. "It wasn't supposed to be like that. I… I didn't know there was someone taping."

"She is a famous celebrity Joey. There is always paparazzi following her around." Tristan yelled.

"But this… it isn't right. That's not what happened. Tristan you have to believe me." Joey pleaded.

"So you didn't treat her like shit? You didn't say all those things to her?" Tristan challenged.

"I did, but-." Joey tried to explain but Tristan cut him off.

"And then you topped it off with a threat. You threatened a world famous celebrity. You acted like a goon Joey, a brainless goon. The whole world saw this and they all hate you for it. Everyone is calling you shameless and disrespectful. It won't be long before media rips you to shreds."

"What do I do now Tristan?" Joey asked helplessly. Tristan sighed on the other line and replied in a tired voice.

"Nothing. You have already done enough. You have successfully destroyed the business and reputation that took years to build in less than 5 minutes. You have doomed us all."

...

* * *

Thanks for reading.

Please review and let me know what you think.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, or the song used in this chapter. The song used belongs to Jesse McCartney.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream/Song_

* * *

...

_The door opened and her smiling face came into his sight. He smiled, knowing that in a few minutes, he would have gone down to see her if she hadn't come. However, her face fell with one look at him, or more like his open laptop and the documents surrounding him._

"_You're still working? You should at least take a break." She said, walking towards him. With a small smile, he pushed the laptop away and turned his chair to the side so he could face her when she came to stand beside him._

"_Where is Mokuba?" He asked, his hands moving forward to hold her waist._

"_One of his friends called him so he is on the phone right now." She answered, her hands playing with his tie to loosen it, something he had completely forgotten to do._

"_And you took this opportunity to escape him and see me." He teased with a smirk as he pulled her to sit in his lap. She let out a small chuckle._

"_You caught me." She admitted. "I did come here for you, but not just to look at your ridiculously handsome face and sexy body. I came for something else." _

"_Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "What?" He feigned innocence. _

"_This." She said before capturing his lips in a searing kiss. Seto groaned in appreciation and moved his hand to cup her neck as he slipped his tongue in her mouth. Her tongue joined him, dueling and pleasing him to his liking. Finally, they pulled apart for much needed air. A smirk was prominent on his face._

"_Is that all or is there more?"_

"_Of course there is more." She whispered seductively and he felt his pulse quicken._

"_When will you be done?" She asked innocently again, fingers playing with the buttons of his shirt._

"_Soon." He replied, running his fingers down her back, sending a shiver down her spine. She leaned forward to place her lips so close to his ear, he could feel them move as she spoke._

"_You better." With a parting delicious lick to his earlobe, she was out of his lap and towards the door before he could comprehend her action and react. She had given him quite an incentive. Feeling a sudden burst of energy and the urgency to finish work, he began flipping through the documents. Despite his desire to be done as fast as possible, he found himself coming out of his office after hours. By then, Mokuba had already slept and she was busy watching some movie on TV. Upon hearing his steps, her head turned in his direction._

"_Should I warm food for you?" She asked, turning off the TV. He nodded his head. Without so much as another glance in his direction, she got up and left for the kitchen. It didn't take a genius to realize that she was angry, and Seto Kaiba was a genius. With a tired sigh, he sat on the dining room chair. She came soon after with a plate of food for him. She placed it in front of him and began walking upstairs._

"_Where are you going?" He asked, watching her retreating back._

"_To sleep. Good night Seto." She replied without stopping or turning. He let out another sigh and began eating. Since the maids were gone, he had to pick up his plates and place them in the washer. However, he didn't bother washing them. The maids would get to them in the morning. Right now, he had more important things to take care of. First, he went to Mokuba's room. The kid was sound asleep and tucked in nicely, her doing, no doubt. Very quietly, Seto kneeled on the floor besides the sleeping boy._

"_I'm sorry for not giving you any time today Mokuba. I will try not to do the same again." He whispered before getting up and exiting the room, glad he hadn't woken the sleeping boy up. Next, he went to a room besides his bedroom. He knew she would be there. After all, it was her room, though her nights were mostly spent in his bed even though they didn't do anything more than just sleep in the same bed. Turning the knob, he was surprised to find it open. She hadn't locked it, maybe because she knew he would have opened it anyway. He entered quietly. Her back was turned to him. Taking his shirt off, he walked towards the closet that was filled with her clothes. A little looking around and he was able to find a pair of pajamas he had once lent her. He quickly changed into them and crawled into bed besides her. She didn't move when the bed shifted under his weight._

_Had she fallen asleep? Curiously and carefully, he placed an arm around her petite waist. She jerked her shoulders before he could make any contact and slid away from him. A small smile appeared on his lips. She was awake but angry. Following her example, he too slid forward and made another attempt to embrace her, but yet again, she moved away from him and he followed suit. They continued this game until she came to the end of the bed with no more space left to move. Seto smirked in victory and very comfortably lifted his arm to wrap around her waist, but she moved her hand to pry his hands off. Now irritated, he spoke._

"_Tea please, I need to sleep." Her movements stopped and he finally touched her soft body. A feeling of comfort, relief, and relaxation washed over him. He pulled her body against his and buried his face in her hair._

"_I'm sorry." He finally whispered. She didn't reply._

"_I tried to finish everything early, but I guess there was more work than I had anticipated." She didn't speak for a while._

"_Mokuba waited for you till late." She finally said. "He wanted to show you an assignment he had done well on. But I made him go to bed after he began dozing off on the couch." He didn't answer, having nothing to say._

"_I asked you to at least take a break every hour. It's not good for your eyes to stare at the computer screen continuously for hours, or for your back to be hunched over some laptop for hours." Her voice held disappointment and he felt guilt overcome him. He knew she was just concerned about him. Tightening his grip on her, he whispered another apology._

"_Seto, I understand you have a lot of work, but you also have a lot of employees who get paid to do that work. Don't you think you can give them a little more responsibility so you can spend more time with Mokuba and I? I spend almost all of my free time here in the hope that you'll be free soon and we can spend some time together. I even refuse the guys when they ask me to hang out with them, and I know they are probably very angry with me for it, but I want to spend time with you Seto." She let out a deep breath and turned to face him. "I want to spend some time with you, my boyfriend." Seto engulfed her in his embrace again, burying her face in his chest._

"_I want to as well, I really do." He admitted. "But I can't trust those stupid employees. They have made mistakes in the past and I can't trust them with such a huge responsibility again."_

"_People make mistakes Seto. It's only fair to give them a second chance. People learn from their mistakes and I'm sure they will as well. Just give them a little more responsibility and I know they'll pull through. They're your employees after all." She said._

"_I'm sorry Tea. I'll try to spend more time with you and Mokuba." She nodded her head against his chest._

"_Are you still angry with me?" He asked. She pulled her head back to stare at him with a small smile._

"_Why don't you guess?" With that, she lifted her chin and connected their lips. Seto smirked against her lips and began moving his lips against her rosy soft ones, running his tongue over her bottom lip to ask for entrance to her mouth. She complied eagerly and allowed him to pleasure her. Seto slowly moved to lay above her, his hand moving over her body, gently touching her sides to feel her curves. Before things got out of hand, he pulled away. They had only been dating for a few weeks and he didn't want to rush things. She let out a small noise in protest and moved her face closer to his to join their lips again. Though he wanted to comply to her wishes, he controlled his urges and instead opted to just gaze at her._

"_What are you looking at?" She asked, blushing under his soft gaze._

"_You." He answered, resting his forehead against hers. "Sometimes I find it hard to believe that you are with me." She raised an eyebrow in confusion. He closed his eyes and spoke._

"_I don't give you the attention that you deserve."_

"_What are you talking about?" She said. He stared at her with an honest look._

"_I barely spend more than an hour with you a day. You deserve someone better, someone else." He looked away as he finished._

"_For a genius, you are really stupid." She said with a smile. "I know you have a lot of work and responsibility, and that's why you can't spend time with me, and I won't leave you because of it. I'll be with you for as long as you need me."_

"_What if someone better than me comes in your life. Then?" He knew he sounded pathetic asking that, but he had to. She held his gaze and replied._

"_I'll be with you for as long as you need me Seto."_

"_As long as you need me."_

"_As long as you need me."_

"_As long as you need me."_

Her voice faded away and he felt himself regain his senses. He tried to drift back into the darkness where she came to visit him, but his mind was awake and alert. It was no use now. Sighing, he opened his eyes and glanced around the room. He was in his home office. He had spent last night here, working. He glanced at the clock. It was 7 in the morning. He slowly got up and went to take a shower. He would be leaving for Kaiba Corp. early today.

Cleaned and dressed, he came to the kitchen to find Rosa reading some magazine. But she sharply noticed his presence and got up to make his cup of coffee, leaving the magazine open. Seto took a seat, eyes moving towards the magazine page purely out of curiosity. However, the content of the page got his attention. Without another thought, he grabbed it and placed it before him. His suspicions were right. Spread on one page was a picture of Tea lying on top of Alistair, her eyes hooded, their lips slightly parted to indicate their passion. On the next page was a collage of pictures of the two of them together, smiling, laughing, hugging, kissing, swimming, running, playing, and doing various other activities.

_"People usually come together because they have the same likes. We came together because we had the same dislikes." _The writing told him this was an article about the couple. With a prominent frown of distaste, he began reading.

_"Tea and I have been together for almost 2 years now. We decided to hide it because of the media and the scrutiny every celebrity relationship is subjected to." Alistair gave the reason for keeping their relationship hidden._

_"I was an emerging actress and I didn't want be known through my scandals." Tea said following Alistair. "Also, I didn't want people to think I was dating a big shot businessman to further my career and popularity."_

_"But you already had two hit movies by then, and were well established in the film industry." Our reporter said. Tea's answer was a smile. Instead, Alistair answered for us._

_"Our relationship was new and long distance, and so it was very fragile. We both knew the only way it would work was if we trusted each other. If it had been in the open, I'm sure the media would have involved us in many scandals, and exaggerated each one to a ridiculous level that it may have caused doubt to take root in our minds. We didn't want that. We didn't want the entertainment industry to be our eyes and ears. We wanted to trust each other and see if the relationship had the capacity to last. When it did, we informed the rest of the world."_

_In response to a question about Tea's recent encounters with Mai and Joey, Tea said that she had no issue with any of them. She had known Mai before and couldn't imagine why such animosity was exhibited towards her at her welcoming party._

A dry smile appeared on Seto's lips. He had a decent idea why "such animosity" existed.

_Though Tea did say that she was quite disappointed with the way Joey had behaved. If he had an issue with her, he should have spoken with her about it instead of behaving so rudely. Tea seemed calm about the whole ordeal but Alistair, on the other hand, was quite open about his distaste for Joey Wheeler._

_"I am disgusted with the way Joey behaved. If I was like him, I would have gone to the media and spurted some nonsense about him and his girlfriend to get revenge. But I'm not as low as him. I will not stoop to his level. But I want to make this very clear. He still hasn't apologized for his behavior. We haven't received any apology from him or his girlfriend or from his side for that matter. And now, I won't forgive him until he publicly apologizes to my girlfriend for his rude behavior." Tea only shrugged her shoulders and smiled at her boyfriend's protectiveness._

Seto doubted it was a mistake. He believed the mutt when he said he had been framed. The whole thing had been too perfect and in Tea's favor. Seto guessed that Tea had made that video on purpose, having already predicted what Joey's reaction would be upon seeing her. She had used it to her advantage and gotten the best of Wheeler.

_But what about her dueling abilities and those amazing cards? Our reporter asked and this was the answer she received._

_"I knew how to duel already. But what you saw was all Alistair's doing. He taught me a lot. The cards that I used were his present to me." Tea said as she gazed lovingly at her lover._

_"I personally went to Pegasus and had the cards created. They were my idea and design, from my inspiration. I am still very thankful to him for fulfilling my wish and not only creating the cards but keeping a silence about them."_

So that was the story behind those cards. Seto had been wondering.

"Would you like to borrow that Mr. Kaiba?" Rosa asked as she placed his coffee before him. Having been caught reading the entertainment magazine, Seto immediately pushed it away.

"I don't need that atrocious thing." He quickly said. Rosa smiled knowingly and turned away. Seto grabbed his cup of coffee and exited, not wanting to be near that woman.

Tea felt soft breath near her shoulder, followed by a sweet kiss. She opened her eyes with a smile and turned to face her boyfriend.

"Did I wake you?" He asked. She let out a small giggle and moved to place her arms around his neck.

"Yes. But I'm glad. I have a nice plan for us to spend the day." Alistair gently kissed her and made a move to get up.

"Well then, let's shower and get ready."

"Yes. Shower separately." Tea said and pushed him back on the bed. "So we can be done in less than an hour." Alistair let out a chuckle as he watched his beautiful girlfriend disappear in the bathroom. After getting ready, they walked downstairs together and spotted Steven sitting on the dining table.

"Hey Steven." Tea said. The man only raised his hand in acknowledgement and continued staring at his laptop.

"What are you looking at?" She asked curiously.

"Place to buy a car. I'm tired of renting." He replied. "What about you guys?"

"I'm going to take Alistair on a little walk around town and show him all my favorite places." Tea said excitedly.

"Be careful." Steven warned.

"Don't worry." Alistair said. "I'll be with her. Plus, around this time, everyone will be either at school or at work so we don't have to worry about being mobbed by her fans." Steven smiled slightly and continued working. By the time Tea and Alistair finished their breakfast, Joshua came downstairs as well. He too was going with Steven to buy a car.

"Well, we're off." Tea said grabbing Alistair's hand. They walked down the streets of Domino, and as they had expected, not many people were around to disturb them. Tea smiled, reliving good memories and telling Alistair about them. They came across a dance studio and Tea stopped. Star Dance Academy.

"I don't remember this. Maybe it is new." She said.

"We can go in and see." Alistair suggested. She nodded her head and they walked inside. The school was small with only three rooms as classes. They continued down the hallway and stopped before a wooden door, labeled 'office'. Tea knocked.

"Come in." They entered and came face to face with a women in her mid forties. Her eyes widened with one look at them. Clearly she hadn't expected them to come through her door.

"Oh my. It is such a surprise to see you. I can't believe it." She gushed, walking towards them.

"We were just walking by and we saw your studio." Tea explained kindly. "I didn't remember it from when I lived in Domino, so I was just curious."

"My name is Vanessa Rhodes. I am the head teacher here, and this is my school. I opened it last year, and that's you haven't seen it. But you won't see it for long either. It'll be closing at the end of this year." Vanessa finished sadly.

"Why is that?" Tea asked.

"It is a private school so it operates on funds, and recently, all our funding has been cut off." Vanessa said.

"But why?" Tea pressed.

"Well, I'm sure you are aware of the prestigious Domino Arts Academy." Vanessa said and Tea nodded her head. "I used to work for them. I worked for them as a senior instructor for 10 years and saw it change from a school to a business. I was disgusted with the way they exploited their reputation and charged higher fees. So I quit and opened my own school for those who couldn't afford Domino Arts Academy. In the beginning I received funding for my school, but the day I signed up for the annual Arts Festival hosted by Domino Arts Academy, my funding was cut off."

"That's horrible." Tea exclaimed.

"They were quite angry with me for quitting and then opening my own school. I guess I crossed the line by signing up for the festival. Now I have a payment for the rent coming up and I don't have enough." Vanessa said.

"They probably used their influence to cut off your funding." Alistair pointed out dryly.

"That's not the only problem. They even got one of our girls to quit our school by offering her admission to their academy with lowered fees. She was to be included in our performance, and with her gone, the rest of the group has gotten quite dishearted." The woman looked down sadly. "I tried to help them, but in the end, I guess it was all useless."

"Maybe I can help you." Tea offered.

"No, I can't take financial aid from you." Vanessa said. "I didn't tell you so you would give me money." Tea smiled.

"I understand, but I can help you in another way. I can help you with the rent for now, but the funding issue we'll deal with later."

"That would be wonderful. I'd be in your debt." Vanessa replied gratefully.

"It's not a big deal. I hate it when people think they can stomp on the little guy." Tea said.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you for another favor." Vanessa asked hesitantly. Tea raised a curious eyebrow and she continued. "I read your interview in the magazine and I read that you dance. I'd be honored if you'd participate in our performance."

"I don't think that'll be allowed." Alistair said. "Tea is not part of your school." The woman began thinking.

"I can ask them." Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed the phone and made the call. Tea and Alistair exchanged looks, mainly Tea giving the 'begging for support' look, and Alistair giving the 'I can't believe I'm so weak look.'

"Yes." Vanessa said in joy as she finished the call. "They agreed."

"They did?" Alistair exclaimed in surprise.

"Well yes. I didn't tell them who would be performing, just that someone out of my school would be participating. At this point, they are so confident that they have broken me that they don't care what I do. So, will you do me the honor Tea?" Tea excitedly nodded her head.

"Of course."

"Thank you. Let me introduce you to the students and the people you'll be working with." Tea and Alistair followed her and met with the excited student population who were even more ecstatic when they found out she would be performing alongside them.

"You can't tell anyone until Vanessa gets it in writing that someone outside the school can perform. Once that is done, feel free to tell anyone and everyone. The more publicity for the school, the better." Alistair said, holding Tea's hand who nodded in agreement. There were some murmurs but everyone seemed to agree. Tea then turned to Vanessa.

"Here is my number. Give me a call as soon as you have their consent in writing."

"I think you should practice at our mansion." Alistair suggested. "You'd get too much trouble from media if Tea is seen coming in and out of your studio. I think it would be better if you brought your performing students to our mansion. We can spare a room." Vanessa nodded.

"Well then, it's decided." Tea said in an excited tone. "I'll see you soon at my mansion. And I promise you, I won't disappoint you."

* * *

Water ran down his body and washed off the spicy scented lather of the body wash. The water was freezing cold but that was just what he needed to get her images out of his head. He had received the invitation to Domino Arts Council's Annual Arts Festival. Almost everyone who was someone had received it. After all, Tea Gardner was performing in it.

She would be dancing again.

He remembered the first time he had seen her dancing. They had been dating for 4 weeks.

Flashback

_Seto walked around the mansion looking for a certain someone who, he had been informed, was already there. But so far, he hadn't had any success spotting the said individual._

_Where was she? He had checked the kitchen, the bedrooms, living room, bathroom, everywhere he thought she could be, but no luck. Maybe Mokuba had been joking when he had said she had come from her dance studio early. Dejected and slightly angry, he walked downstairs when he heard music coming from his old dining hall. It was a huge hall his step-father used for dinner parties but Seto had rarely made any use of it. Curious, he walked inside and spotted the object of his desire twirling in a beautiful leotard. Her eyes were closed and she was dancing. Even though they had been dating for a while now and during that time, she had participated in a few performances and recitals, Seto had never been able to take time out of his schedule and see her. This was his first time, and watching her, he regretted all the previous opportunities he had missed. Though he was no expert, from what he saw, she was amazing, her movements smooth and calculated. He was mesmerized by her, and found himself standing like a statue, eyes fixed on her. Feeling his gaze, she opened her eyes and abruptly stopped, noticing him._

_"S… Seto." She stuttered. "When … when did you come?" She was probably baffled at having been caught off-guard. He walked towards her._

_"Just right now."_

_"Oh." She seemed a bit relieved. Did she not want him to see her dance? He grabbed the stereo remote from the floor a few feet away from her and stopped the music._

_"I didn't mean to interrupt. I was content with just watching you." He said and she blushed prettily. He smiled and turned the music on again. "You can continue." She stared at him nervously and began dancing again. However, this time, her movements were strained and stiff. With a frown, he stopped the music again. She stopped as well and watched him approach her._

_"Why are you so nervous?" He asked in a slightly irritated voice._

_"I'm not." She shot defensively. He just stared and she looked away. "You've never seen me dance before. What if you think I'm not good?" His face softened when she revealed her fears._

_"Tea, I think you're amazing." He said, gently holding her face. She blushed. "Don't be nervous. Just dance." He played the music again. She only stared at him nervously. Realizing he had to do something to make her comfortable, he gently grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. She stiffened._

_"Just relax." He whispered and began moving slowly to the music. He could feel her heart beating wildly against her chest. "It's just me." He whispered again. This time, it seemed to have some effect on her, and he felt her relax and begin moving to the music. After a few minutes of dancing together, Seto moved away from her and watched as she continued dancing as beautifully as when he had first found her, and once again, he found himself mesmerized by her talent._

End flashback

Since then, he had made sure to attend all of her performances. But that had been years ago. He wondered how much she had improved. He couldn't wait to see her, dressed in a tight leotard, stretching her beautiful, curvaceous body in breath-taking positions on the stage…

He turned the shower to even colder. After a while, when he was satisfied with his body's state, he stepped out to dress up for the night.

"I can't believe you're going." Her voice came before her. The door fully opened and Serenity walked in, a frown on her face.

"I can't believe you're not going. You never pass up an opportunity where press and publicity is involved." Seto remarked. She huffed and sat on the bed while he buttoned up his shirt.

"I don't want to go. In fact none of us are going." Seto knew what she meant by 'us'.

"Really, Valentine is not going?" He said in mock surprise.

"Yes, because she doesn't want to." Serenity was quick to say. Seto smirked.

"She didn't get an invitation."He said knowingly. Serenity's face paled but she quickly recovered.

"That's not true. She did, but she refused." Serenity said. "All of us refused because we are not 'charmed' by her highness." Serenity spat. "Not all of us are gullible fools who follow her around like faithful pets, wagging our tails at her every command like trained dogs, unlike your brother." Seto's face hardened at her words. With a menacing look and an angry growl, he turned around to face her.

"Watch your mouth Wheeler, or you'll find yourself in the same shit pile as your brother." With that, he grabbed his coat and left, leaving a slightly scared girl behind.

* * *

The hall where the performances were usually held was unusually packed. Along with the guests were various members of the media. The event was being broadcasted live for those who could afford pay-per-view. Seto walked in and wasn't surprised at not finding any of the members of the geek squad.

"Hey Kaiba, so glad you could make it." Seto groaned as Alistair approached him with a sickeningly smug smile.

"Amelda." Seto regarded him coldly. Alistair smiled even further.

"Have a seat with me. I've got the best one since my girlfriend is performing." With that, he led Kaiba to the front row where Mokuba, Steven, and Joshua were already seated. Alistair took a seat besides Steven and motioned for Kaiba to sit on his right. Grudgingly, Seto complied. He didn't want to ruin his mood so early in the evening or make a scene. He was here to see Tea and he would do just that. The show started soon after. Many students from the Domino Arts Academy performed in various forms of arts, from music to drama. But everyone wanted to watch the dancers take the stage. They all got their wish at the end. Domino Arts Academy was the first one to go. Their dancers performed flawlessly, all moves executed perfectly. Then came the most anticipated performance of the evening. Star Dance Academy's performance. The dancers appeared on stage, one by one, dancing beautifully. But Seto's eyes longed to see her. Where was she? He was sure she was part of this performance. The invitation said so.

The others dancers continued dancing, presenting a story with their movements. And then she came. She was as beautiful and graceful as he remembered her to be, perhaps even more. She moved across the stage like water, holding the attention of every eye in the room. She danced for a few minutes and from the looks of it, her role in the story was a small one. Seto had expected her to play the main role. He had expected the dance school to capitalize on her status, but their instructor had chosen to showcase her own students instead. Seto couldn't argue whether it was a smart move or not. At that point he was, yet again, mesmerized by Tea. Her role ended much too soon for everyone's liking and she disappeared off the stage. However, the performance went on, and everyone continued watching mutely as the other dancers danced. When they finished, the audience clapped like they had done so for the other performances, but this one lasted longer. The organizer of the show, the president of the Domino Arts Theatre appeared on the stage, looking slightly sour.

"I thank you all for your support." She said taking the mike. "But the night is not over yet. We were very lucky to have the famous Tea Gardner perform on our stage. And now, she'd like to do a solo for you." Cheers and applause erupted at her announcement. So that's why she had a small part in the performance, Seto concluded.

"She never told me about this." Alistair muttered from beside him, but Seto ignored him purposely. Music and Tea appeared at the same time. The tune was fast, and definitely not classical.

_Girl,  
There's something 'bout me that you ought to know.  
I've never felt the need to lose control.  
Always held on back and played it slow.  
But not this time._

The song came on and she started dancing. Her moves incorporated different styles from ballroom, to contemporary, to ballet.

_Baby, don't be gentle,_

_I can handle anything__._

Her moves turned slow and seductive and she moved with her eyes fixed on him... no, on Alistair.

_Baby,  
Take me on a journey.  
I've been thinking lately,  
I could use a little time alone with you._

Her movements turned wild, and he saw her spin and twirl and jump, mixing hip-hop and ballet together beautifully.

_Crazy,  
Let's do something, maybe.  
Please don't take your time,  
You got me,  
Right where you want me_

The music slowed again and her dancing calmed. This continued throughout the song. Her dancing style switched according to the beat of the song or the lyrics, and showed what a versatile and talented dancer she was. The song came to an end, but the look on her face said she was about to do something big.

_You got me_,

She pointed at the crowd, or more specifically, at Alistair.

_whoa o ou o whoa. _

She ran down the stairs of the stage and towards them. Seto's heartbeat increased, but he knew she wasn't coming for him. She seated herself in Alistair's lap and faced him, mouthing the lyrics to him.

_You got me. _

_Right where you want me_.

The song ended and the only sound in the room was her heavy breathing, or so it felt to Seto who was a few inches away from her. Alistair was the first one to make a move, and he did so by placing a sweet kiss on her parted lips. Mokuba began the clapping fest and in no time, everyone joined him, cheering and applauding their favorite star. Tea smiled and got out of Alistair's lap. She candidly walked back up on the stage and bowed before disappearing altogether.

"That was… quite entertaining." Alistair said with a pleased look. "Did you enjoy it Kaiba?" Kaiba grunted from beside him. Just then, Tea came racing towards them, wearing a fitted coat over her dancing outfit, and threw herself at Alistair. He slightly tumbled back from the impact but recovered swiftly and held her close.

"Nice job Tea." Mokuba said.

"Yeah, you were pretty good. And that costume made you look sexy." Joshua commented. Steven nodded in acknowledgement.

"I think everyone enjoyed it, except Kaiba." Alistair said slyly.

"Well, I can't meet _his_ standards." Tea said sarcastically.

"Very few can." Mokuba said. Seto gave him a cold look and turned on his heel, walking away from them.

"One of these days, he's going to punch you." Joshua warned Alistair who only waved his hand in dismissal.

"Okay get ready. Here comes the media." Steven warned and soon, they were swarmed with reporters.

"Miss Tea, you were fantastic." She smiled charmingly at their praises and replied.

"Thank you. All credit goes to Vanessa. She is an amazing teacher and her school was just fabulous. I am honored to work with her and her students."

"What other talents are you hiding?"

"Is there anything you can't do?" She smirked with a knowing look and answered.

"You'll just have to wait and see." After a few more questions, the reporters left her alone and surrounded Vanessa and her students. Tea smiled in satisfaction.

"I see Kaiba again. I'm going to go talk to him." Alistair said.

"Don't you think you've bothered him enough for one night?" Steven said.

"I am going to talk business with him." Alistair said before kissing Tea on the cheek and walking towards Kaiba.

"Another job well done by Domino's hero Tea." Mokuba said in a dramatic tone. "What heroic deed is next on the agenda?" Tea slapped his shoulder.

"Shut up." He laughed. Behind them, reporters had now surrounded the pupils of Star Dance Academy, plaguing them with questions, especially Vanessa. This was sure to get her a boost in publicity and maybe some funding.

"Seriously Tea, you need to stop all this." Steven said in a serious tone.

"Stop what?" She asked carelessly.

"Making enemies." Steven said. "You already have many, why add more?"

"What are you talking about?" She asked, facing him.

"Domino Arts Academy is a very prestigious institution, and you showed them up. I don't think this will work in your favor later on." Steven said seriously.

"Come on Steven. Must you ruin everything?" Joshua said in an annoyed tone.

"I didn't do anything but a small favor." She pointed out.

"What about what you're planning next? That's anything but small." Joshua and Mokuba shot Steven a confused look. Obviously, they were missing something.

"I'll speak with Stan and Alistair before I do anything." She assured him. He only stared at her in disbelief. She shifted uneasily under his probing gaze and glanced around the room.

"I'm going to talk to Alistair." She said and walked towards him. He was still talking with Kaiba. A smirk formed on her face. This was another chance for her to piss Kaiba off. Maybe she should ask where his significant other was tonight. When she was a few meters away, darkness suddenly engulfed the room.

"What happened?

"Did the lights go off?"

"Don't panic everyone. I'll go check. Just stay calm and stay where you are."

She stood frozen, listening to the conversations proceeding around her, trying to identify familiar voices. Just then, someone bumped into her. She nearly fell, but managed to steady herself.

"I'm so sorry, whoever you are." The person said and continued stumbling in the dark like a drunk bee. Standing in the middle of the room was dangerous. She had to find Alistair. With a determined look, she began walking in the direction she had seen him standing. In the dark, the outline of a tall man was faintly visible.

'Alistair.' She thought. Speeding up, she quickly approached him and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.

"Alistair, I was looking for you." She whispered. He didn't reply and just stood, frozen.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, not withdrawing from him. Suddenly, his arms wrapped around her tightly, his face lowering to bury in her hair. He was acting odd.

"Alistair?" She made an attempt to life her face off his chest, but he placed a hand behind her head and resumed her original position. His other hand slid over her body hurriedly, as if quickly trying to feel her curves. This wasn't like Alistair at all. She took a deep breath and was about to ask him why he was behaving this way when she froze, her breath held in.

That cologne. That smell. It was familiar. It was the same scent that had haunted her nights for years. Panic suddenly overcame her senses and she struggled against his strong hold.

"Let me go." She breathed desperately. He made no attempt to do so and instead, tightened his grip on her.

"Tea, please, list-."

"Let me go right now or I'll scream." She whispered venomously. His shoulders slouched and his grip loosened. Immediately, as if he was an electric pole, she withdrew from him and turned her back. He stretched out his hand to touch he again but the lights came on again. Without another glance at her or at any one else, he left.

* * *

Mokuba whistled happily as he made his way upstairs to his bedroom. Just as he was about to close the door, a hand shot out and held it open.

"What do you want?" Mokuba asked turning his back to the door. Seto came in.

"I don't want to deal with you right now. I've had a great day and I don't want to ruin it." His voice was cold and uncaring, and even though Seto didn't show it, he was hurt.

"I know you don't care but at least pretend to respect me and treat me as your older brother Mokuba." Seto said and Mokuba snorted.

"I have seen what you do to people who care about you." Mokuba said without turning. "I have every reason to be cautious." Seto leaned against the door tiredly and let out a deep breath.

"People make mistakes Mokuba. Even though everyone has different presumptions, I too, am a human. I am not exempt from making errors."

"People also learn from their mistakes. They don't pretend they never occurred and move on, acting like they have forgotten the mistake altogether." Mokuba said.

"I never forgot." Seto whispered so low Mokuba thought it had been his imagination. But one look over his shoulder at his brother's glossy eyes told him otherwise.

"How could I forget?" Seto continued. "She was always there, in my mind when I was awake, behind my closed eyelids when I slept… always there." Mokuba fully turned around and watched his brother carefully.

"Today, I wasn't really surprised, because I had seen her dance so many times before. And it was just like those times. She is still as amazing as before, a little more confident, but still as amazing." His confession was followed by silence.

"Does she ever talk about me? Has she ever mentioned me?" He suddenly asked, hoping that he didn't sound as desperate as he felt. Mokuba could see his brother's heart on his face, beating like an injured bird's wings. For a while, he didn't answer.

"She's happy Seto. She had moved on." Seto slowly nodded his head, and headed for the door, but before he exited, he looked over his shoulder and whispered.

"Next time you see her, be sure to ask her for tips on how to move on. Because for some reason, I can't seem to do that."

...

* * *

Thank you for reading.

Please review and let me know what you think.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

...

"I can't believe that bitch." Mai fumed loudly, stomping around Yugi's living room. like an angry animal. "Ijust can't believe it."

"Mai, calm down." Joey said comfortingly. Mai whipped her head to glare at him.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down?" She screamed. "How can I calm down when my career is being destroyed? How can I calm down when I am being publicly challenged and humiliated by a no-good, revengeful bitch? How?"

"Only if you had been there, listening to her talk in that mocking, superior tone, you wouldn't tell her to calm down." Serenity said, recalling earlier occurrences of the day.

(Flashback)

"_Here madam, this came for you." A maid said obediently, entering the living room of Kaiba Mansion, where Mai and Serenity were in conversation. Serenity took the paper from the girl and shooed her away._

"_What is it?" Mai asked curiously. Serenity turned the envelope over to inspect and soon, a distasteful frown appeared on her face._

"_It's from her." Her voice held so much poison that Mai instantly figured out who "her" was._

"_What does she want now?" Serenity opened the envelope and began reading the contents, eyes widening with each line. Mai frowned at Serenity changing expressions._

"_What is it?" She asked, slightly worried. Wordlessly, Serenity handed her the paper to read. Mai took it cautiously and began reading, however, her reaction was very different from Serenity's._

"_What the hell is this?" She yelled, glaring at Serenity. "She is launching her own clothing line? Who the hell does she think she is?"_

"_I can't believe it. Why would she do that?" Serenity said, also displaying signs of anger. "She knows we already have a well established clothing line in Domino."_

"_She wants to challenge us." Mai said through clenched teeth. "A few small success' have gotten to her head and now she thinks she can do anything."_

"_Mai, what are we going to do?" Serenity asked in a worried tone. Before Mai could reply, her cell phone rang. Mai picked it up._

"_Hello, Mai Valentine speaking." She spoke flippantly._

"_Hi Mai, hope I didn't catch you at a bad time." The sugary sweet voice coming from the other side caused Mai's jaw to clench. Serenity mouthed 'who'._

"_What do you want?" Mai spat. Besides her, Serenity whispered._

"_Is it her?" Mai nodded her head._

"_You can put me on speaker." Tea said causally. "I need to speak to both of you and I know you guys are together." Mai glared at the phone before pressing a button to put it on speaker._

"_Why are you calling us?" Serenity asked angrily. On the other side, Tea laughed._

"_I guess you just received my invitation." _

"_What invitation? All we got was a card announcing the launching of your clothing line." Serenity spat. _

"_It is formally an invitation, informing you of an event, and then at the bottom, it invites you to attend." Tea explained. "If you can't read, maybe you should let Mai read and confirm it for you." They could practically feel her smirk. Serenity glared at the phone harder._

"_I can read." She said while Mai quickly read the invitation before speaking._

"_Why the hell do you want us to be at your launching? There will be enough people to criticize you and mock you. Or do you need us specifically to put you in your place?" Mai mocked. Once again, Tea laughed in reply._

"_Whatever helps you sleep at night Mai. The only reason I want you to be there is to show you that I am better than you. I want you to be there when I put an end to your ridiculously priced garbage. Of course, if you feel threatened and don't want to be humiliated again, it's fine. I understand. I'm sure the media will quote on your behalf." With that, Tea hung up_.

(End flashback)

"Do you see now what she wants Yugi?" Mai said, staring at Yugi who was busy looking at the carpet.

"She is a bitch. She only wants to ruin our lives. I don't know why she is so hell bent on this revenge." Serenity said.

"If anyone should be angry, it should be us." Mai said. "She said all those things to us and to Serenity when the only one to blame was herself. She was the one who failed to hold on to her man, and took out her frustrations on all of us."

"I still remember all the things she said. She was so rude." Serenity said.

"But even after all that, you still took her side, saying we needed to be understanding of her feelings." Mai said to Yugi in a mocking tone. "You said we needed to give her another chance. And we all listened to you. We called her and even though she ignored all our calls and never once replied, we went to her place to talk to her."

"Even though she didn't deserve a bit of our pity." Serenity added spitefully.

"And then we found out she had left, without so much as a notice, as if we meant nothing to her." Mai said. "I said right there and then that she didn't value our friendship. And now you see that I was right."

"My girlfriend has been humiliated, my sister is ridiculed, my business is in ruins, and now she wants to ruin my sister and girlfriend's business too. Do you still think we should give her another chance Yugi?" Joey asked angrily. Yugi just bent his head lower.

"I never knew you were so weak Yugi." Mai said in a biting tone. "Fine. Be that way. I'll deal with her on my own. Just because she won one lousy duel by fluke, she thinks she can challenge me and beat me in everything." Mai fumed as she paced around like a wounded tiger. "Well, I'll show her how wrong she is."

"Maybe you shouldn't do anything." Tristan said. "Tea called you to rile you up and it is working perfectly. You are angry and a decision made in anger is always regretted later."

"Then what do you think we should do?" Mai asked hotly.

"Let her be." Tristan said with a shrug of his shoulders. "If she wants to compete with you, then let her."

"What the hell? Are you telling me to be a sitting duck and just watch as she stomps around like a queen?" Mai yelled.

"Look, she obviously wants you to react and make a fool of yourself. Don't give her the satisfaction of seeing her prediction come true." Tristan said wisely.

"So you're saying she'll make a fool of herself?" Joey said, now fuming with anger. "What kind of friend are you?"

"Look man, I'm only trying to help." Tristan said, also getting angry. "You saw what she did to her before. Do you want there to be a repeat?"

"Why are you saying negative things like that?" Serenity asked. "You should support us and help us think of a way to bring that bitch down."

"Don't you guys get it?" Tristan yelled, losing his patience. "She is a lot smarter than we anticipated, and she is bent on ruining all of us. The smartest move on our part now would be to try and talk to her."

"What the hell are you saying?" Joey yelled, getting up. "You want us to beg for forgiveness? What is wrong with you?"

"Did she buy your cheap ass with a few autographs that now you are on her side?" Mai spat.

"You know what, I don't care what you do." Tristan said, getting up and heading towards the door. "If you guys want to screw yourself, go ahead. I don't give a shit. I am already paying the price of your stupidity and I don't want any more of it." With that, he walked out. He could hardly believe their arrogance and stupidity. Tea was much more influential than they had imagined. She had ruined a few of them and he knew she would not rest until she had ruined them all. They were stupid to think they could defeat her at this game of revenge.

With a sigh, he took out his cell phone and dialed a friendly number. She always knew what to say to make him feel better. He hoped she would help him now as well.

* * *

Tea causally walked around Domino Park, dressed in a simple black tank top and a blue skirt. Her hair were tied in a loose ponytail, covered by a black hat supporting New York Yankees logo. To finish her look and hide her identity, she was wearing huge pair of shades. From far, she looked like an ordinary female taking a walk in the park.

She had been bored in the house and had decided to enjoy Domino. Alistair was busy working, and Joshua and Steven were working on final arrangements for her clothing line launching. She had been working with them non-stop until Steven had literally picked her up and forcefully thrown her out of the house to get some fresh air. But she wasn`t angry with him. She knew he wanted only what was best for her. And she had to admit, coming to the park was very refreshing. It was early afternoon and the park looked nearly deserted, save the few squirrels and birds that popped their heads up every now and then. The sun was covered by white clouds, decreasing its intensity, and making way for a beautiful and cool day.

She hummed to herself as she walked when her eyes fell on a large woman. The woman was attempting to bend down in the most ridiculous way Tea had ever seen. She was spreading her knees apart and trying to move lower towards the ground, as if to sit. Her one hand was holding a nearby bench and the other was outstretched towards the ground. Tea watched with curiosity as to why the woman was taking such a difficult approach. She watched the woman give up and straighten up to stand and that`s when Tea realized that the large woman was actually large due to pregnancy. Her stomach was visibly protruded out. No wonder she couldn`t bend properly. Tea saw the woman size up for another attempt and she quickly ran to her.

"I can help you." She said and bent down to pick up car keys. She handed them to the woman.

"Oh thank you so much." The woman said, looking at Tea fondly. "I don't know what I would have done had you not come." Tea smiled and studied the woman. She was young and quite beautiful, with flowing red hair and sparkling green eyes.

"By the way, my name is Nina." The red-head said.

"It's very nice to meet you." Tea said with a smile. "What were you doing out here in your condition? Shouldn't you be resting?" Nina laughed loudly.

"Everyone keeps telling me that, but I'm just so stubborn. I sit at home all day and frankly, it was giving me a butt ache. I decided to take a walk and stretch my legs a bit. I live very close." Tea nodded.

"But you should have brought someone with you." Nina smiled again.

"For a stranger without a name, you sure care a lot." Tea blushed in embarrassment, contemplating whether she should reveal her identity or not. Nina seemed like a good woman, and she wasn't in a state to really bother her. Maybe she should reveal her identity.

"I'm sorry for being rude and not introducing myself." Tea said, taking her glasses off. "I'm Tea Gardner." Nina gasped loudly, hands covering her mouth.

"Wow, I can't believe I'm meeting you." Tea smiled in return. "I have seen a few of your movies and I really like your acting. My fiancé is not a big fan of American movies. He only likes action or horror if we ever see an American movie. But I watch anything with good reviews and all of your movies received rave reviews. I'm a big fan." Nina gushed.

"Thank you Nina." Tea said with an embarrassed smile.

"What are you doing here without any bodyguards?" Nina asked curiously.

"Actually, my bodyguard kicked me out of the house to get some fresh air." Tea said and Nina laughed. "You've probably heard that I'm about to give a preview of my clothing line. I've been working on it for a while now and he thought I needed a break."

"Well, I'm glad he kicked you out and I'm glad I came out because it gave us the opportunity to meet." Nina said and Tea nodded.

"You know, if you can make it, I'd like to invite you to come to the preview, as my friend." Tea offered and Nina's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oh I'd love to." She squealed. "Thank you so much. You really are nice." But then her face fell. "But I don't think I'll be able to make it. My fiancé won't allow it."

"Because of your condition?" Tea inquired and Nina shook her head.

"That too, and also because he doesn't like you very much." Tea shrugged her shoulders. She couldn't make everyone love her. Nina noticed the reaction and quickly began speaking.

"Oh, it's not that he doesn't like your acting, or you as a person. It's just his business has taken a blow indirectly because of you. Actually, it is all his friends fault. He was the idiot who acted stupidly. Even a child knows you don't threaten someone, especially not a celebrity, but Joey is stupid." Tea's eye brows rose, her heart beating fast.

"Who… who is your fiancé?" She slowly asked.

"Tristan Taylor." Nina replied with a big smile, her hands wrapping around her stomach. "He is Joey's friend and business partner. But he is not like Joey at all." Nina said, defending her fiancé. "He is very sweet and kind and caring and loving. He takes such good care of me and everyone around him. I don't particularly like Mai and Serenity and don't get along very well with them. And even though he is good friends with them, he never forces me to come to their house. He gives me so much freedom and choice." A fond smile appeared on Nina's face.

"When I first told him I was pregnant, he nearly fainted. Can you believe it.? A full grown man nearly fainted." Nina laughed before continuing. "Of course he denied it then and still denies it, but I know better. But he has been very supportive. He has taken care of me since then. Just recently he-." Nina would have continued to speak had it not been for her cell phone ringing. She excused herself and picked it up.

"Hi baby, you won't believe who I'm standing with right now." As soon as she had begun speaking, Tea knew who was on the other line.

"It's the famous Tea Gardner. I dropped my keys and she helped me. She is so nice." This was followed by silence during which Tea presumed Tristan spoke, and by the looks of Nina's frown, it wasn't something nice.

"Honey, I'm fine. I came out to the park for a walk and found her." More silence. Tea shifted uncomfortably on her feet. She couldn't believe it. Tristan had a fiancé and was a father-to-be? And his fiancé was such a sweet woman. It seemed unreal.

"Okay, I'm waiting right here. Bye." Nina hung up and Tea ended her train of thoughts. Nina smiled, but Tea could tell something was wrong. This smile didn't seem as honest as her previous ones.

"He is worried about me and is going to come pick me up. He wasn't particularly thrilled of the idea of our meeting. I think he is just a bit paranoid. I apologize for him." Tea shook her head.

"It's no problem. I understand how he must feel." She knew perfectly well what Tristan thought, and he wasn't at fault for his assumptions.

"I should probably get going. I'm assuming you would be okay on your own." Tea said.

"No, you must wait and meet him." Nina insisted. "He is a very nice guy. I think he has some misconceptions about you but you can talk and clear them out. He'll be here in a few minutes. Please, I really want you guys to meet and get along."

"I don't think that's necessary." Tea said and began walking when Nina ran and held her arm.

"Please, I assure you he is not like Joey. He had nothing to do with what Joey said or did. He doesn't think of you like that." Nina begged. Tea opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by the sound of screeching tires. They both looked towards the road and saw a tall man run towards them.

"Nina, are you okay?" Tristan asked, holding his finance's shoulders. "Are you tired? Do you feel any pain?" She shook her head.

"I'm fine Tristan. I'm pregnant, not injured or sick." Tristan openly frowned.

"I told you to stay at home. This baby is due any day and you are walking around like you don't even have a clue. What if something happened to you?"

"Nothing could have happened to me." Nina huffed at his overly concerned attitude. "I can take care of myself. Besides, Tea was here. She was such good company." Tristan removed his eyes from Nina and stared at Tea.

"It's nice to meet you." Tea said with a small fake smile, however, her eyes reflected nothing.

"Th…thank you for taking care of her." Tristan pretended before his fiancé. He hadn't told her about Tea and their past, and didn't want to tell now either.

"She is very nice. I enjoyed talking to her." Tea said. Nina beamed in joy.

"Nina, babe, why don't you go and sit in the car. I have to speak with Miss Gardner. I'll be there in a minute." Nina nodded her head and said her goodbye to Tea before walking away from them. Both watched her, and as soon as she had closed the car door, Tristan turned towards Tea with furious eyes.

"What did you do to her?" He demanded. Tea remained emotionless.

"I did nothing."

"You were going to do something to her, weren't you?" He accused.

"If you are so sure, then why bother asking me?" She said with a sneer.

"Listen Tea, she has nothing to do with this. She hasn't done anything to you so I am warning you, don't harm her in any way. If anything was to happen to her, I won't forgive you and I won't let it go either." He warned and she huffed.

"I'm not so low as to hurt a pregnant woman and her unborn child. Even after I found out about her relationship with you, I wasn't going to harm her. My fight is not with her." With that said, she turned around and began walking away.

"What are you going to do to me?" His low voice caused her to halt, but she didn't turn around. Instead, she kept her back to him as she replied.

"Nothing…. And you can thank your fiancé and your unborn child for that." She quickly walked away, leaving a surprised Tristan behind.

* * *

Tea glanced at the crowd gathered in the hall. A lot of VIP's were sitting in the front row, most of them, from the fashion industry. They came to show their support or to possibly see her make a fool of herself. There was also a long line of critics, just itching to rip her to shreds and bring her down from her high pedestal, as well media who could work wonders either way for her. She nervously glanced around to find familiar faces and smiled when her eyes fell on Vanessa. At least someone was there to support her unconditionally. She also spotted Mai and Serenity sitting with Duke, Joey, and Seto. She couldn't wait to show them who was better.

"You ready for this?" She heard Steven speak behind her. She turned and nodded her head. He shot her a small smile.

"I've never seen you this nervous before. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She lied but he continued to stare, forcing her to tell him the truth. "I asked all of them to at least show their faces, but they said they would come for the official launching, not for some preview. They even said this wasn't a good move, and that I shouldn't do it." Steven moved forward and embraced her gently.

"Don't doubt yourself now." He said soothingly. "I think you are doing the right thing. It would help Vanessa and the girls, and also put those two in their place."

"What's happening here?" Alistair spoke from behind them. They separated to see him standing with Joshua and Mokuba.

"Steven, are you trying to steal my girlfriend?" Alistair said with accusing eyes. Steven rolled his eyes.

"She was feeling alone since all her designers decided to ditch this event." He explained.

"I was surprised when they said no." Joshua said. "I mean, they are all new designers, some of them barely interns and you gave them a chance. And this is how they repay you? The line isn't even out yet and they are already acting so arrogant. I just want to fly back for a few hours, kick their ass and come back to tell you all about it." Tea smiled at his words.

"As far as I am concerned, it's their loss." Alistair said with a shrug of his shoulders. "They would regret it when they hear about the success of this event."

"Besides, you don't need them." Mokuba said. "You've got all of us." Tea smiled graciously.

"Thanks guys. I needed to hear that."

"Group hug." Joshua yelled and engulfed them all in his large embrace. Everyone laughed loudly as Steven roughly pushed him off.

"Miss, Tea, we are ready." A young woman, one of the organizers of the event said.

"Okay. Let's do this." Tea said in a determined tone.

The crowd erupted in cheers as she appeared on the runway, holding a mike.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen." She spoke formally. "First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for coming to this event, the preview of my clothing line, _Elegante Divino by T.G.,_ Italian for _Divine Elegance_. Nothing like this has ever been done before, and I've been told by many that this is a mistake. So I'm very nervous and I ask in advance that you please forgive the many mistake I'm prone to make tonight." She paused to take in their smiling faces.

"I have worked on this line with a few other designers and the name was their choice. I would have liked them all to be here, but unfortunately, they can't make it. They are busy with the preparations for official launching that will occur in a few months in USA. Therefore, tonight you will only get to see a few of the outfits that I personally have designed. The rest you will see in a few months." She paused to let them digest the information she had provided.

"I know you all are curious to know why I decided to give this preview, and if I have some evil ulterior motive behind this. But I can't give you the answer you want to hear. For that, you'll have to turn to the ever-creative media. All I can say is that this event is merely a treat for my hometown Domino, and nothing else." She paused to take a breath and take in their reactions. Most were nodding their head in acceptance, but some had smirks on their faces, assuming there was something else going on. Oh well, she didn't care.

"With that said, let's get this show on the road." She said and soon, the music began playing. Tea walked backstage and quickly met with the girl first to be on the runway. She was one of the dancers from Vanessa's school, and had worked with Tea on the performance.

"Okay, just relax and do as we practiced." Tea said to the girl who nodded before walking out. Tea met with Alistair and the others and began watching the show from a carefully hidden spot.

After speaking with a few of her designer friends who had shown support for her decision, they had decided to showcase a few outfits for girls and a few for boys, going from casual wear to formal wear. Tea and five other girls were to model the dresses, whereas Mokuba, Joshua, and Alistair were to showcase suits. Steven had kindly declined, opting to play his part in organizing the event.

Tea watched the girls model her creations, her smile becoming wider with each outfit and the reaction is drew from the crowd. There were appreciative nods, some stares of awes, and in a few cases, vile, jealous looks. So far, the preview was a success. The girls, all from the dance school, had done an amazing job and Tea was glad she had made that choice. She wasn't paying them, but they were getting to keep the outfit they modeled. Also, a good percent from the night was going to their dance school, not to mention the publicity. All in all, it had turned out to be a good night, or at least she assumed from all the clapping at the end of the show. Even many of the critics seemed fine with her efforts.

"I guess it's time for the designer to take the stage." Alistair whispered in her ear before kissing her gently. She smiled and walked before all the people. The clapping grew louder and she beamed at them, mouthing 'thank yous' and bowing in gratitude.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the designer, Tea Gardner." Alistair's voice came from the speakers and people cheered. She swept her gaze over the crowd, stopping until she caught the _famous_ designers and their posse. Serenity was worried. Mai was fuming, red with anger. Joey was angrily muttering to Duke who was nodding his head. And then there was Seto. He just stood there, eyes fixed on her. Their eyes met, and for a second she felt conscious. She felt his gaze wash over her, bind her, freeze her, and she couldn't pull away. His eyes weren't as cold as they appeared in her nightmares. No, they seemed warm, and dare she say proud? But why would he be proud of her? She had delivered a blow to his girlfriend's business and reputation.

"I just have one last treat for all of you." Tea abruptly broke her eyes away from Seto to stare perplexedly at the speakers from where Alistair's voice was coming from. She didn't know of this. She thought the show was over. She would need to speak to Alistair about this. She turned to go back stage when she saw him approach her on the stage.

"Alistair, what are you doing?" She asked him with arms crossed over her chest. He smirked and continued to speak to the audience.

"Every time we meet, we bring each other a present." He held Tea's hand and kissed the knuckles. "This time when we met, it was a surprise visit from me before the media, and she thought that going public was the present. What I got as my present, I won't tell." He winked and Tea blushed, muttering a small 'Alistair' in embarrassment.

"But she was wrong." Then he turned to her. "I have worked on this for a while and I'm very proud of it." Alistair said with a smile, eyes twinkling at Tea. "And I hope you'll love it as much as I do." He flicked his wrist and then at the jumbo screen appeared a picture of Tea. Gasps filled the air. Even Tea was surprised at what she saw.

It was a picture of her alright, but it was her lying on a bed, barely covered in red sheets, sketched to the finest detail. Her face, nestled comfortably in the pillow appeared almost life-like, the rosy hue of her cheeks captured perfectly. A few strands of her hair were fallen on her cheek, giving her the appearance of an innocent angel, though almost naked.

Her pale shoulders were bare, as were the swell of her ample breasts. That's when the sheet began, covering her modesty, much to her relief. She was lying on her side, her arms twisted to hold the bed sheet in a gentle grip. Even though the red sheet covered her chest, waist, and her butt, her curves were still very much visible. Moving further down the picture, one was greeted with the sight of creamy long legs, peeking from the sheets. Once again, the detail of her body was well captured. Overall, she looked like an ethereal creature, out of this world.

"Oh my God." She whispered. "Alistair…"

"Do you like it?" He asked.

"It's beautiful." She said, turning to him with a huge smile. "Thank you for making me look so beautiful."

"You are beautiful." He replied, thumb brushing her cheek gently. "Do you remember the night?" She blushed, but her smile didn't fade.

"When did you make it?"

"When you fell asleep, which was quite soon since I had tired you quite a bit." This was followed by her blushing and a few chuckles from the audience who were now carefully watching the two lovers.

"I went to the bathroom and I was just so entranced by the sight that I decided to capture it. I took a picture of you first in case you turned or moved and I lost the image. But thankfully, you were so tired from all our previous activities, you slept without moving an inch, and I was able to make this for you." She hugged him and whispered.

"Thank you." He smirked and moved his mouth to whisper in her ear.

"I expect a different thanks later on tonight." She giggled and pulled away.

"Are there any more surprises or can we call it a night?" She asked and he smirked.

"Just this." Before she could think, she felt him press his lips against her in a passionate kiss. Unconsciously, she pressed her body into his, moaning when his tongue entered her mouth to massage hers. But he pulled away too soon, eyes holding promise of much more to come. Tea then turned to the audience with a visible blush.

"And that is all. Thank you for coming. Enjoy the rest of your night." Another round of applause broke out. Tea took one last look at the angry, sulking crew and found that Seto had joined them as well. Tonight had proven to be quite productive, but there was still much to do.

She held Alistair's hand as they walked into the crowd and mingled with the guests. The media surrounded them, throwing questions left and right, and both were careful to tackle some and dodge most. Many fashion critics came to applaud her effort and critique her on some aspects they found wrong. She honestly took their advice, determined to not make the same mistakes again.

"I never vud have thought that vun of Kaiba's friends vud be so fashion literate." German accent, coupled by long pink flowing hair meant only one person, Zigfried Lloyd. Alistair and Tea both turned to greet him.

"Zigfried, it's good to see you again." Alistair said, shaking the man's hand. "Haven't seen you since that contract signing." Both were business associates. Seto may have had issues with Zigfried, but his attitude towards the pink haired man had paved way for good relations between him and Alistair, both of whom shared a common dislike for the blue eyed billionaire.

"I vos bizi vith helping Leon establish his own company. But I'm not here for you." He said, dismissing Alistair and turning to Tea.

"You, my dear, are just as talented as beautiful. I'm truly entranced." He said, grabbing her hand and kissing the back of it. Tea smiled charmingly.

"Thank you for attending, and thank you for the compliments. Coming from Germany's most fashionable businessman, they mean a lot." He chuckled.

"Very modest. I like it." He said. "But you did a good job. If possible, I vud like to place an early order for some of your suits. I vant to be the first to vear them, especially the blue colored vun" Tea nodded her head.

"Of course." She said.

"Vell, I should be going. I don't vant to keep Amelda from his voman." Tea giggled and watched as Zigfried disappeared out of sight.

"I vud have liked it if he went to talk to Kaiba." Alistair said, trying to imitate Zigfried's accent.

"Oh stop it." Tea said with a laugh, slapping his shoulder lightly. He smirked and they proceeded to speak with guests until Tea expressed the need to get something to drink and excused herself. She walked around, looking for two haughty women, but they were nowhere to be found, nor were their boyfriends. She chuckled inwardly, picturing their fuming faces. Her eyes caught sight of another unfriendly face and she hurried towards him.

Duke Devlin had stayed to flirt with the gorgeous women present at the party. Given changed circumstances, he would have given Tea a shot as well, but… oh well. There were plenty of other hotties for him to play with. So when Mai and Serenity had insisted he leave with them, he had declined. He planned on taking a hot woman to bed tonight and so far, his search was still going. He was busy following a beautiful woman when he heard his name being called. Turning around, he saw the last person he wanted to see.

"What do you want?" He asked cautiously, having learnt from Joey's and Mai's mistakes. Tea smiled sweetly at him.

"I just wanted to speak with you. Is that too much to ask?" She said innocently. He grunted.

"Don't feign innocence. I know you." He spat. "And I won't fall for your tricks." She smirked.

"What do you mean?" She kept up the act.

"I know what you did to the others. I won't be made a fool." He growled and she let out a melodious laugh.

"You're so paranoid. You think what happened to them, I did on purpose?" He only glared and she smiled. "They made mistakes and then paid the price for it. I was merely the scapegoat they used to put the blame on."

"Yeah right. And this thing tonight?" He mocked. "It was an accident too, right?"

"No." She shook her head. "Mai and Serenity said insulting things. They called me talentless and worthless. I just wanted to prove to them and myself that they weren't right. I am not here to play silly games with you guys. I am here on vacation, to get away from my hectic life in USA." Her voice lowered, as did her eyes.

"I didn't leave happily, and that haunted me. I came back to get over the demons that ruled my nights. I came to reconcile with my past and accept it." At that moment, she looked utterly vulnerable and harmless, and Duke's eyes softened, his posture relaxing, as if some threat had been eliminated.

"I didn't expect a warm welcome, but I wasn't prepared for the cold attitudes either." She admitted. "I realized we had drifted apart too much and I accepted it. I have made new friends and a new life, and I realize that I would have only that. And I'm okay with it." She raised her eyes to look at him.

"What I'm not okay with is your ridiculous notions that I am here to get some revenge on you for something that was my fault." Duke raised his eyebrows at her and she began explaining.

"Losing Kaiba was my fault. He was more mature than I was, and he needed sexual relief. He made his desires known a few months into our dating period, but I was afraid. I didn't want him to think I was easily attainable. It was not wrong of him to find someone else who gave in to his desires. He found happiness somewhere else and I should have been happy with it, not jealous." She took a deep breath before speaking again. "But that is all in the past. I have someone in my life and I am happy. And I hope Kaiba is as well." She became quiet, allowing him the opportunity to speak, but he was at a loss of words. He hadn't expected her to be so open about her past. He hadn't had the opportunity to see her after her welcoming party but he had been told much about her from the others. Funny, the picture they painted was much different than the girl standing before him.

"I know you don't trust me because of what they may have said to you. And if you want to believe what they say, it's your choice. You can believe that they are being targeted by me out of malice for what they did to me in the past. But then that frees you because you didn't do anything. You weren't even there when Kaiba and Serenity announced their relationship. So I can't blame you. And I'm not so shallow to hold a grudge against you just because you are friends with them. After all, I was once their friend too." She smiled beautifully at him and he managed a small smile as well.

He had been there when it had happened. Hell, he had made some nasty comments too, but if she didn't remember, why would he remind her and turn her against him? She was of much use as a friend then as a foe, and she had proved that.

"So how is life treating you?" She asked, her eyes casually glancing over his shoulder before settling on him . He smirked.

"Good."

"Did you enjoy the show?" She asked, inching closer to him.

"Of course I did. Hot girls prancing around in sexy clothes, what man wouldn't?" She giggled.

"Still the same flirtatious and sexy guy I see." She said with a smirk.

"You know it babe." He winked in response.

"So what are you still doing here?" She asked. "The rest of your group is gone."

"I wanted to fully enjoy the night." He commented, and she giggled again, flipping her hair behind her.

"I bet you were looking for a girl for the night." She teased playfully.

"You're right. I am. Know anyone?" He asked eyeing her up and down.

"I may." She said coyly, moving closer and tracing circles on his chest. "But she already has a boyfriend. Do you mind?" He gulped slightly.

"Does she mind?" He countered and Tea raised her head to look him directly in the eye.

"No." Her voice was firm as she spoke. "She just wants a good night with a sexy and experienced man."

"Why doesn't she ask her boyfriend?" He asked, feeling her fingers slide lower to gently brush his belt buckle. His own hands itched to hold her waist and bring her closer.

"She wants a change, and a man who is creative in bed." Duke held in a gasp when her fingers brushed over his pants, making them feel much tighter then when he had first worn them. She began gently pulling him towards a dim hallway.

"This is not like you." Duke managed to speak as he felt her kiss and nip at his neck. His own hands began moving up and down her curves. "You're not like this." She huffed against his neck and pulled her face away.

"It's not like the old me. She was oh-so-nice, wanting to remain pure and innocent forever, and look where it got her. I am different. I value life and pleasure over stupid morals." She licked her lips invitingly and spoke. "Life is a treat to enjoy, and I intend to do just that. You are welcomed to join me if you want." She said seductively and moved into a dark corner to hide from any oncoming intruders. So far they had none and Duke had a feeling it would remain that way, or at least he hoped.

He turned his attention back to her. She looked so beautiful, so delectable, almost too good to let go. The image of her half naked picture appeared in his mind and he groaned with desire. He would be damned if he refused her invitation. Quickly grabbing her arm, he moved closer to her and slammed his lips desperately against hers. She moaned and pressed further into his body. His hands roamed her curves, squeezing her sides, earning more moans from her. Her own hands desperately began working on his shirt buttons. Not wanting to be the one left behind, he latched onto her neck, sucking like a rabid animal. His hands reached her butt and gave it a firm squeeze. She gasped.

"Duke you devil." She said, nibbling on his earlobe. He growled and bit the sensitive skin of her neck. She moaned at the pain it brought it.

"You like it rough huh?" He growled against her skin and she moaned.

"Yes. Rough. Don't be gentle. I want to feel you." She whispered breathily.

"Whatever you say babe." He said and squeezed her butt again before removing his mouth from her neck to kiss her fully on the lips. Their tongues dueled erotically in their mouths, adding to their pleasure. Tea was the first to pull away and began kissing down his slightly revealed chest. She flicked her tongue at his collarbone and he growled loudly, roughly grabbing her by the hair and pulling her up.

"If you want it that way, then so be it." He said and removed the straps of her dress off her shoulders, his mouth quickly latching onto the revealed skin. He kissed down her shoulder and began nipping at her collarbone.

"Oh Duke." She moaned. "Please don't do that. It… it drives me crazy." He smirked against her skin.

"Oh really?" He said and took the skin between his teeth, letting his tongue flip over it over and over. She fell against his chest.

"Oh… oh…. Stop it. You'll drive me insane with desire. Stop it." Her weak protests only drove him madder with lust. He moved his lips lower, inching closer and closer to her breasts.

"No Duke." She moaned. "Not there. I can't control it when someone touches me there." Highly encouraged by her words, he brought his one hand to cup her breast, slightly lifting the soft mound and causing more skin to protrude out of her dress.

"No, stop." She said, gently pushing against him. "We shouldn't do it here." He paid no heed to her words. She wanted to play cute, then it was fine by him. He sucked the top of her breast, causing her to mewl and moan.

"Duke, stop. I'm saying stop." She begged him. He smirked against her breast.

"No bitch. You want it. Say that you want it." He squeezed her breast roughly again and she let out a small scream.

"Duke, stop. Please… stop."

"Say you want it." He said between nips and bites. "Say you want me."

"What the hell are you doing you sick shit?" Alistair's voice boomed through the hallway and Duke abruptly pulled away from Tea's chest to stare at the fast approaching angry male. He quickly began backing away, but Alistair was quicker, and delivered a fine punch to his face, causing him to fall on the ground.

"Tea, are you okay?" Alistair asked her in a concerned tone.

"Oh Alistair, I… I tried to… tell him… I pushed him…. but he won't listen." Tea said between sobs and Duke was shocked at how she had changed colors. What the hell? Just a second ago, she had been like a wanton.

"What the hell were you thinking?" A man, who had been with Alistair, said to Duke, who was still bewildered.

"Have you lost your mind? Don't you ever use your head to think or is it always through your pants?" Another said angrily. Duke finally got some sense and stood up.

"She came to me." He said in his defence and everyone scoffed.

"Yeah right. We all know the kind of horny man you are Duke and how she is. You actually expect us to believe that?" One said, glaring at him.

"And we heard her and you. We heard someone saying 'stop' and we came to investigate. We saw you trying to rape her and we heard her begging you to stop." Duke shook his head.

"No. I swear I'm telling you the truth. She came to me."

"Shut up with your lies already." One man snapped at him.

"Tea, what happened? What were you doing here?" Alistair asked her gently. She sniffed and began speaking.

"I was getting a drink when I saw him so I decided to talk to him. The media has been publishing stores about how I have a grudge against all of them so I wanted to clear things between us." She said. "I told him it wasn't true and I actually wanted to be friends with them. I never realized when we entered this hallway, but he… suddenly… he pushed me… in that corner and…" Sobs shook her body and Alistair engulfed her in his protective embrace, glaring at a pale Duke.

"You'll pay for this Devlin. Mark my words." Alistair threatened. "I swear I'll make you pay for each and every one of her tears." He gently led Tea away from the guys. The other two men glared at Duke.

"This is the stupidest thing you have ever done, and you'll pay for it greatly." They also walked away, leaving Duke alone to ponder over what had just happened.

Everyone surrounded Tea and Alistair as came out. They had all noticed her long absence, and now noticed her tears. All fired questions, but Alistair and Tea kept their mouths shut.

"Please, she was nearly raped by that sick minded Duke Devlin." One man who had been with them came to their rescue. Everyone now turned to him, asking him questions. But Alistair and Tea were still surrounded.

"Let us go please. We have had a rough night." Alistair said. "If you want any answers, you can ask them." He said, motioning to the two men who had witnessed everything with him. "They saw what I saw. I'm sure they will tell you the truth." Steven and Joshua quickly began pushing people away to make a path for Alistair and Tea to escape. They led them to their limo and then closed the door, motioning the driver to take them away.

Inside the limo, Tea sniffed one more time and Alistair handed her a tissue box. She began wiping her face.

"I can't believe you took so long. He nearly had me undressed." She said, cleaning the mascara off her cheeks. Alistair held another tissue and began cleaning her other cheek gently.

"I couldn't find anyone decent to come. Everyone one else would have enjoyed the show a little too much." She nodded her head and inspected her face in the mirror.

"Now I just have to go home, take a shower, get his scent off me and I'll be done." She said. Alistair pulled her into his lap and gently kissed her.

"I'm glad you got what you wanted." He said. She rested her head on his chest and sighed.

"Alistair, thanks for being so understanding." He smiled gently and ran his fingers through her hair.

"I thought of it as nothing more than acting. To me, it was like one of your movie scenes when you have to kiss your co-stars or imitate sex and passion. What gives me relief is that they only get acting, but I get the real thing." She pulled away and kissed him again.

"Thank you." He chuckled.

"You know, this just means that you have a lot of thanking to do later." He said and she smiled sexily.

"You bet." She said and rested her cheek against his chest again.

"Four down, just two more to go."

...

* * *

Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

...

"Mmmm." Tea moaned as consciousness seeped into her mind. The sound of a beating heart against her ear caused her to lift her head and survey her surroundings only to find herself on top of Alistair. His amused eyes glinted at her.

"Morning." He said with a smile. She sighed and rested her head back on his chest, arms tightening around his waist.

"What's wrong?" He asked, running his fingers through the silky strands of her hair. Though he couldn't see it, he knew she was frowning.

"You're leaving in a few hours, and you're asking me what's wrong?" He chuckled slightly, the rumbling of his chest sending pleasing sensations down Tea's body.

"You haven't asked me to stay." Her frown deepened and she lifted her head to look at him.

"I can't ask that of you, and you know that. You've already spent so much of your time here and I know you need to go back. I don't want to keep you from your work." She resumed her position of laying her head on his chest and said. "You're so very understanding of my work. The least I can do is reciprocate that."

"You are way too nice for your own good Tea." He said, kissing the top of her head. "But this will be the last time we will have to be separated." He said in an attempt to cheer her up. She peeked at him curiously and he let out another chuckle. "Now that our relationship is out in the open, we can live together. I want you to move in with me." Her eyes widened in joy.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yes, really." He replied back humorously. The next second, her lips were on him, kissing him excitedly.

"Finally." She said. "This will be so great. I won't have to be away from you for a day."

"And you won't have to deal with the stalker paparazzi that are native to Hollywood. You'll finally be able to take a walk without having to dodge camera flashes." He said. This caused her to literally bounce on him like a child.

"This is great. I can't wait to tell the others." Then she paused. "What about Steven and Joshua? Will they come too?" Alistair shrugged.

"They can if they want to. They'll be good company." She nodded her head and smiled.

"Things are finally starting to work out the way they should." She said and he nodded his head.

"Tea, listen to me." He said, his voice hardening to house a strict tone. "I don't want you to do anything else involving your old friends when I'm gone. It's becoming dangerous."

"I can take care of myself." She countered.

"I know you can. I trust you, but I don't trust the people you are dealing with. They will go to any lengths to hurt you, considering the state they are at now. Tea, I don't want to have to constantly worry about you when I'm not here. I want to know that you are safe and enjoying yourself. Promise me you won't mess with them anymore." She looked hesitant.

"But Alistair, I have Steven and Joshua. You know they won't let anything happen to me." Alistair sighed.

"I know. I already spoke with Steven and he agreed with me on this. You have to stop now Tea. No more." She pouted. With a smile, he held her chin and brought her face closer to his.

"Be a good girl, and you will get a nice reward."

"What kind of reward?" She asked. He smirked and inched closer to her lips.

"A very pleasing one." A blush made its way onto her cheeks. Alistair smirked in triumph before claiming her lips in a possessive kiss. His lips devoured hers, teeth nipping on the bottom lip to seek entrance to her cavern. She complied and his tongue immediately plunged in deep, tasting every corner, every crevice. She moaned loudly and pressed her body sensually against his, her hands moving up and down his bare chest. His own hands began their exploration of her body, moving from her petite waist to her shoulders and then pushing her away?

She stared at him, confused and irritated.

"I'll be late for my flight and I need to take a shower." Her eyes widened at his statement. Was he… was he denying her? Inwardly smirking at her shocked expression, Alistair made his way off the bed and towards the bathroom.

"You're welcomed to join me." He said over his shoulder. Tea glared at him, understanding his game and followed him.

"Like I have a choice now." She grumbled.

* * *

"Do you have them ready Rosa?" Mokuba asked, stepping into the kitchen. The older woman smiled and pointed to a basket on the center island.

"It's right there master Mokuba." Mokuba walked towards it to investigate, his face breaking into a huge smile.

"Thanks a million Rose. Tea will love these."

"May I ask what is the occasion that you are giving her a basket of cupcakes?"

"Alistair, her boyfriend, is leaving today." Mokuba said. "In fact, I think he probably left by now, and Tea's been all sad and mopey for two days because of his departure. I'm trying to cheer her up because she loves sweets, especially homemade stuff." Rosa smiled and nodded her head in return.

"Will you be spending the entire day with her?"

"I wish." Mokuba sighed. "I have to meet with some friends to work on an assignment. And after that, I'll probably hang out with them."

"So you're trying to make up for your absence by giving her these treats?" Rosa said in an amused voice and Mokuba smiled sheepishly.

"Anyway, I'm off. See you later babe." Mokuba called out as he grabbed the basket and walked out the door. Rosa just shook her head in amusement and fondness at his antics. After cleaning her hands, she made her way up to Seto's office. She knew he would be there. Gently knocking, she waited for a reply. Upon hearing a gruff 'come in' she entered.

"Master Kaiba, Master Mokuba has left for Miss Tea's mansion." Seto nodded his head. "The cupcakes he had me bake were for her since her boyfriend is leaving today. They are meant to make her feel better." A glint appeared in Seto's eyes for a nanosecond, but it did not go unnoticed by Rosa. She made no indication of her observation and continued speaking. "He will be studying with some friends and then spending the rest of the day with them." Seto nodded his head in approval and then turned back to his work. Rosa turned and walked out. She never expected a thank you or any gracious words from the older Kaiba, even though she was his only link to the going-ons in his brother's life. She knew he secretly despised her status with Mokuba, and she couldn't help but pity him. He was starved for his brother's love, but Mokuba was adamant in not giving him another chance. She wasn't exactly sure what had caused a rift to appear between the two brothers, but she knew it had something to do with Serenity. Mokuba's attitude towards her made it obvious that he didn't like her. And with the appearance of Tea and the attitudes and events surrounding her, Rosa knew Tea was involved in the family drama as well. But how, she wasn't sure. She just hoped the two brothers would be able to settle their difference soon.

Seto's mind buzzed with joy at the piece of information he had just received from Rosa. Alistair was going today. He was leaving Domino. Now Tea would be free for him to speak to and pursue. In the back of his mind, he knew Alistair's departure didn't improve his situation at all, and Tea was still going to hate him. But at least it gave him the relief that she wasn't with _him_. He had felt that her changed attitude had a lot to do with Alistair. Tea was not the kind to hate. That was Alistair's type, and there was no doubt in Seto's mind that Alistair had poisoned her mind with hate. Perhaps with him gone, Seto could attempt to bring out the old Tea, the _real_ Tea, the girl who didn't know hate and forgave even the worst of people. And her forgiveness was what he desperately needed, above anything else. It would not only reduce his guilt and grant him perhaps a wink of sleep without nightmares, but also a chance at getting Mokuba back.

Flashback

_Seto placed the picture album back in the drawer, and after making sure it was locked, stepped out of his office. He hadn't been able to get much work done, but just enough to his satisfaction. Perhaps he could wake up early and make another attempt to focus. It wasn't like he would get much sleep anyway, not with her plaguing his dreams. He sighed in irritation and longing and entered his room, somewhat surprised, but mostly annoyed to find Serenity awake, filing her nails._

_"Hey baby, are you finished?" She asked coyly. He grunted in reply and went to his closet to find his pajamas. After locating them, he began taking his shirt off. There was no issue of her seeing him, since she had seen him naked many times before. He had just discarded his shirt when he felt small hands sliding onto his chest._

_"Baby, I know you are tense and tired from all the work you have done. Why don't you come to bed and let me help you relax?" Serenity whispered seductively, pressing her body into his. Trying not to snap at her, he grabbed her wrist and pried her hands off him._

_"I don't need any help. I'm fine." He reached for his pajamas when he felt her place an open-mouth kiss on to his shoulder blade._

_"Seto, come to bed with me."_

_"Not tonight." He muttered, ignoring her and wearing his pajamas. She didn't give up and squirmed to stand in front of him, halting his movements._

_"Are you mad at me?" She tried to be cute, her hands playing with the buttons of his shirt. "I know I have been busy with… other things, but I want to make it up to you." She pressed her flimsily clothed body against his in a sensual manner. "I want to give myself to you tonight to do as you please." Her voice was breathy, barely above a whisper, her breath hitting his chest. Before he could answer, she leaned forward and kissed his chest, tasting the salty texture of his skin. Her hands slipped to his pants, trying to undo the knot of pajama strings._

_"Enough." Seto said, grabbing her hands roughly and shoving her away._

_"Seto." She appeared shocked._

_"I told you, not tonight. Don't make me repeat it." A huge frown appeared on her face and she sneered._

_"Of course you don't want it, well not with me at least." He turned his head in her direction, eyes sharply glaring at her. She was unfazed by it._

_"What the hell are you trying to say?"_

_"Oh please." She scoffed. "Like I don't know what is going on. You haven't looked at me since she came back. I know you want to screw her."_

_"Shut up Wheeler." He warned her, but she seemed bent on speaking her mind._

_"I know what you are trying to do. You are trying to get in her good graces by not supporting my friends and I, hoping it will get you in her pants. After all, you missed the chance in the past when she was playing the 'holy virgin' part."_

_"Wheeler." Seto growled in warning again, but she ignored him, face red with anger and hate._

_"But now you can. After all, she is sleeping with that Alistair guy, and her two body guards. I'm sure she won't mind another addition to her harem. Maybe your brother can put in a word for you when he is screwing her."_

_"ENOUGH." Seto bellowed, finally managing to inflict some fear upon the ranting girl._

_"How dare you say that?" He said, taking a step towards her. "How dare you say such disgusting stuff about my brother and… about Tea? How dare you?" She stepped back in fear._

_"Tea is not a whore like you Wheeler, or your slutty blonde friend, so don't even try to defile her. And if you ever, EVER say another word about my brother, I will personally see to it that you are brought to the streets, begging for scraps of food. Got it?" She quickly nodded her head._

_"Get out." He said. Her eyes widened. "I said, get out of the room. I don't want to see your face right now. Leave." Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, but he doubted they were tears of sadness or pain. He even doubted they were of humiliation. Anger could be a candidate._

_He watched with a satisfied smirk as she walked towards the bed and snatched her pillow. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Her body stiffened. He smirked and went to open the door, only to find Rosa standing outside._

_"Master Mokuba has just returned. He said he has already eaten and is in his room right now." Seto nodded his head. Rosa turned to leave when he spoke._

_"Open a guest room for Miss Wheeler. She'll be spending the night there." Rosa's face showed no expression as she nodded her head and walked away. He turned to stare at the fuming face of Serenity. He just narrowed his eyes in challenge, daring her to say a word. She, however, wisely kept silent and literally stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her as she left. Seto chuckled at her pathetic antics, and wondered why he still kept her around._

_In the beginning, it had been convenience. She was a body available for him to use whenever he wished. It was better than paying a prostitute each time, though he often wondered if the amount of bitching he got from her was worth it. There was also a matter of his reputation. With her on his arm for years, he appeared as someone who was committed, which was a plus. Sure many people, including her, assumed it was because he had some sort of feelings for her, but it had never mattered to him, until now. Now he even saw the positives as negatives._

_What if Tea saw it the same way? What if she also assumed that he was in love with Serenity? Why else would the Seto Kaiba she left stay with her? He wasn't one to keep people or things around that he saw no use or need for._

_He frowned. This could be another reason she seemed to despise him so much. But he couldn't even tell her that he felt nothing for Wheeler. She would think of him even worst, as someone who was deceiving and using a girl. Either way, there was no solution for him._

_Sighing in defeat, he began walking towards Mokuba's room. He could hear music coming from the room and knew knocking would produce no effect. So instead, he tried the knob. Surprisingly, the door was unlocked. Carefully, he opened it and stepped inside._

_Mokuba was lying on the bed, flipping through TV channels as the stereo system blasted music on._

_"Mokuba." Seto called out in a loud voice. Mokuba's head turned in his direction, surprise evident on his face, but it was soon replaced by anger. He turned the music off and faced him._

_"What the hell are you doing in my room without my permission?" Seto frowned at his rude behavior._

_"I knocked but you were unable to hear. The door was unlocked so I came in." Mokuba continued to glare at him._

_"What do you want?" Mokuba said, going back to channel surfing. Seto sighed and took a step towards his brother._

_"Mokuba, I need to speak with you."_

_"I'm listening." Mokuba said carelessly. Seto frowned and walked towards the TV, turning it off and standing in front of it. Mokuba's glare intensified._

_"What the hell is your problem?" He yelled. Seto glared back._

_"Do you know who you are talking to, and in what manner?" Mokuba haughtily turned away._

_"I know who I am talking to, better than you know, and this is the perfect manner to speak to that person."_

_"Why? I didn't do anything to you. What happened was between Tea and I. It did not concern you or involve you. Yet you behave as if I personally attacked and harmed you. Why?" Mokuba turned his head back to glare at Seto and spat._

_"Because you did personally hurt me. You took away my best friend, my secret keeper, my older sister, my mother-like-figure, all for a slut who quickly spread her legs for you. And you have the nerve to ask me how you harmed me?" Seto looked away in regret._

_"I have said it so many times before Mokuba, I am sorry. I wasn't aware that my actions would have such severe consequences."_

_"You once said that a successful businessman never acts before analyzing every possible outcome, because once something is done, it is impossible to change it or the outcome, and there is no choice left but to deal with it. Well, take your own advice now Seto. Deal with the consequences of your actions and of your decisions." Mokuba said._

_"I'm your brother Mokuba. Can't you forgive me?" Seto nearly begged. Mokuba's eyes turned hard as he replied._

_"I will never forgive someone who hurt my sister." Seto's head lowered in defeat. "Unless she forgives him." Mokuba added. Seto lifted his head to stare at Mokuba._

_"If you want my forgiveness, ask forgiveness from the person who was directly hurt by you. Only when she forgives you would I consider." With that, he threw the remote control on the couch and walked into the adjoined bathroom, leaving Seto to ponder over his words._

End flashback.

Seto had thought about what Mokuba had said. He knew it was against his pride and ego to apologize to anyone, even when it was his fault. Asking for forgiveness was a sign of weakness, something never to be associated with him. But at this point in time, he felt like he had no choice. Tea's reappearance in his life had heightened his guilt ten-fold, and Mokuba's attitude had turned even colder. The suspicion that Mokuba hated him had turned into belief and a gripping fear. He couldn't let that happen. He would gain his brother's favor back, not matter what the cost. And with Alistair out of the picture, though temporarily, he felt slightly more hopeful.

It was time for him to make his move.

* * *

Tea sat on the couch, flipping through channels, a bored look on her face. Alistair was gone, Steven was out, Mokuba was busy, and Joshua was in the kitchen, fixing himself a snack, since she wouldn't let him touch her cupcakes. The whole mansion seemed so empty all of a sudden, adding to her depressing mood. How she wished she could talk to someone right now. Maybe she should call some of her friends in USA. One look at the clock told her it was beyond inappropriate to call anyone in USA at this time. Sighing, she moved deeper into the couch, accepting the fact that she was to wallow in her misery until Joshua filled his bottomless pit of a stomach and came out to speak with her. Just then, the door bell rang. She sighed and began getting up when Joshua came out with a sandwich in his hand.

"I'll see who it is. Maybe it's girls selling cooking. Your depressing face would scare them away, and I need some damn sweets right now." She shot him a smile and watched as he walked towards a small screen and pressed a button. Steven had a camera installed at the front gate to see whoever was outside. This allowed them to only let in people they wanted to see, and ignore the rest.

"What do you want Miss?" She heard Joshua say. So it was a girl outside. A reporter perhaps? Did the news of Alistair leaving already spread?

"I want to see Miss Tea. I'm a friend of hers." Tea heard the woman reply. She knitted her eyebrows together. This voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't place a face on it.

"That's what they all say. Are you from some kind of gossip magazine because if you are, you better tell me and you may even get an interview with her." Joshua said.

"No. I'm a friend. She knows me. Can you please just call her?" Who could it be? Was it someone from the dance studio?

"She's busy." Joshua said carelessly. "Come back some other time."

"Please, I need to speak with her. I won't be able to come again for a while. Can you just ask her?"

"Listen lady. I'm being nice to you only because of your condition. You shouldn't waste your energy bothering us and save it for when you may actually need it. Now please leave." Condition? It couldn't be…

Tea quickly got up and ran towards the screen and saw the worried face of Nina.

"Nina, oh my God, what are you doing out there?" She said.

"You know this pregnant chick?" Joshua asked in surprise. Tea turned to him and sighed in frustration.

"Yes I do. Like she said, she's a friend." Then she turned to Nina again, whose face was visibly relaxed now. "Wait just a second. I'm going to come outside to get you." She turned the screen off and began hurrying towards the gate, Joshua on her heels.

"Sorry. I was just trying to be careful. You know the stunts paparazzi pull to get in and snap a picture." He defended himself. Tea shot him small smile.

"I know. I'm not mad at you silly." He smiled back. They raced towards the door and Tea opened it to greet Nina.

"I hope I'm not bothering you." Nina said sheepishly. Tea hugged the pregnant woman.

"Not at all. But you should have called. Then you wouldn't have gone through this trouble." Nina just smiled.

"I didn't have your number." Tea blushed in embarrassment.

"Sorry. Come on inside. You shouldn't be standing."

"Can you please carry that?" Nina asked Joshua, pointing to a beautifully decorated fruit basket, placed on top of her car. He nodded and grabbed it. Then both Tea and Joshua helped Nina inside. Once Nina was seated comfortably on the couch, Joshua spoke.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted." Nina shook her head.

"There is no need. I understand your position." Joshua smiled widely and turned to Tea.

"I like this one. Where did you find her?" He asked Tea.

"At the park."

"Man, I should go to the park with you when you ask me to, and not sucker Steven into going." Nina blushed in embarrassment at his words.

"Well, I'll leave you two ladies alone. Call me if you need anything." He exited with a small wave. Tea turned to Nina.

"Ok, the first thing I should do is give you my number." She said and Nina laughed.

"We can get to that later. First I want to congratulate you on your successful clothing line preview. I'm sorry I couldn't make it." Tea smiled.

"I understand." Tea said, eyeing her stomach. "But thanks for your comments."

"Tristan told me Mai and Serenity were very angry. They were roaring with anger like beasts." Tea chuckled at the image.

"That's a picture." She said and Nina laughed as well.

"I wanted to come a few days ago, but Tristan wouldn't let me. He said it could wait a few days, but I knew if I waited, I wouldn't be able to see you for weeks because of the baby." Tea nodded her head.

"When is it due?" Tea asked.

"In a few days." Nina replied and Tea's eyes widened.

"Nina, you are insane. You really shouldn't be moving around at all." Nina sighed.

"I know, but I wanted to see you, and bring you a present for your success." Tea smiled.

"Thanks you so much Nina." Nina smiled sheepishly.

"I know it's not the fancy stuff you probably get, but I didn't have time or the freedom to go around shopping."

"Please, there is no need for any of that." Tea assured the woman. "It's the gesture that counts. And besides, I love fruits and the packaging is really nice." Nina blushed.

"Thanks. I did it personally."

"Really. You've got talent. You should start a business."

"I actually had a small business going before I met Tristan." Nina said. "I had a small shop and I kept it until I got pregnant. Then Tristan insisted that I close it since I had no need for it. He said he was a provider enough. Plus, I wasn't in the condition to completely commit to the shop. So I agreed, but kept taking orders at home. I haven't done an order in over two months now, and I was afraid I lost my touch." Tea shook her head.

"This is really nice." She said, eyeing the basket. "Thanks again." Nina nodded.

"So, how are things going?" Nina asked causally. "It seems really quiet here." Tea sighed.

"Yeah, Alistair left today."

"Oh, sorry to hear that."

"It's not a big deal. He has a company to run. But the good thing is that we'll be living together when I leave." Tea said happily.

"That's good to hear. I'm sure you'd enjoy it." Nina said.

"So how are things with you? Excited about the baby or just scared?" Tea asked and Nina smiled faintly.

"Actually, it has been a bit stressful.." Nina admitted. "This is our first baby, so we are a bit scared and worried. I am scared of childbirth and the pain. I know Tristan will be there for me, but still, I am really scared. And then there is stress about work as well."

"Work?" Tea inquired hesitantly.

"Yeah. Well, you probably already know that the showroom isn't doing so great right now." When a look of guilt crossed Tea's face, Nina quickly added. "I'm not blaming you for it at all. Please don't think that. It's not your fault and I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. It's just that I feel like I can trust you and that's why I'm telling you." After getting an assuring smile from Tea, she continued.

"Tristan has been stressed about it. He doesn't know what to do. He has tried to speak with some people, but the issue with Joey is not letting things progress in any direction." Tea nodded her head, not knowing what else to do.

"I'd like to help him, but I can't, not right now at least. And I know if I do offer, it would hurt his pride." Tea nodded her head, recalling the Tristan from the past and his masculine pride.

"I'm really sorry." It was all she said. Nina shook her head again.

"You're making me feel like I should have never told you that." Tea shook her head.

"I do feel responsible. It is because of me that-."

"Please stop it." Nina said in a serious voice. Tea put her hands up in surrender.

"Sorry. I won't say it again." Nina nodded. The two then fell into a friendly conversation.

"So do you only have issues with Mai and Serenity or with the others as well?" Tea asked causally.

"Just them and Joey and Duke. Yugi is pretty nice, but he's kind of quiet." Tea nodded. "Tristan said he used to be talkative, but he changed when his grandfather died." Tea's heart stopped.

"Grampa is dead?" She asked in shock. Nina nodded her head.

"Yes. He died of pneumonia two years ago. The doctors said he was too old to fight it." Tea lowered her head.

"I didn't know. I'm sorry to hear that." Silence fell over them. It was broken by Joshua coming back to take more food, muttering about how he was eating like a pregnant woman. Both women chuckled at his comments and fell back into a comfortable conversation. It was an hour later that Nina decided she should leave. Tea got up and called Joshua. When he came, she said.

"Can you get the car and follow Nina and I? I'm going to drive her to her house and then you can bring me back."

"No, there is no need to bother. I can go back safely." Nina insisted.

"I think what Tea is saying is better." Joshua said. Nina sighed in defeat and allowed them to accompany her. When at her door, she invited them in, but both declined.

"Promise me you'll come to see the baby." Nina asked Tea who nodded her head.

"Of course. I'll even bring it some personally designed diapers." She winked and Nina laughed. They said their good byes and Tea got in the car with Joshua. On their way home, Tea told Joshua to stop by the cemetery. Giving her a confused look, he complied. At the Domino Cemetery, Tea told Joshua to wait and went ahead. After a few minutes of walking around, she found the grave she was looking for.

Solomon Motou.

Sitting on her knees before the grave, she prayed for the old man. He had always been kind to her, like a blood grandfather. She was sad that she hadn't been there for him when he had been sick. She apologized for not coming to him sooner and prayed for peace for his soul.

"T… Tea?" Her praying session was interrupted by a surprised, shaking voice. She stood up calmly and turned around to face her once best friend.

"Hello Yugi. Just because grampa is dead doesn't mean you can forget your manners. Its rude to interrupt people when they are praying." She chided. His face fell.

"You… found out." He said.

"Yes." She curtly replied.

Silence.

"I would have liked to tell you, but-."

"Why?" She interrupted him. He looked up, surprised and unsure of what to say.

"Why would you have wanted to tell me? What am I to you?" He winced at the tone of her voice.

"He… he asked for you… many times." Yugi said in a very low voice.

"What did you tell him?" She asked. He looked away.

"I never answered him properly. I think… I think he knew something had happened. He… before dying, he told me to patch things up with you." Yugi said.

"So you're here to try and fulfill a dying man's wish?" Tea said in a mocking tone. Yugi didn't reply for a while.

"Would you give me a chance to do it?" He finally said.

"I'm sorry but I have someone's wishes to honor as well. And that person is also dead." She replied. Yugi looked up into her eyes.

"I'm so-."

"Don't." She harshly cut him off, eyes blazing with fire. "Don't even try to say those words Yugi. I don't want to hear them from you." Moisture shone in his eyes.

"It never should have happened. I never wanted it to be that way." He said.

"It's a little too late for that now." She said with a huff.

"I really am sorry Tea, more than you know."

"Oh I know how sorry you are Yugi." She said with a sneer. "I know the kind of person you are. I know you regret that day every waking moment. I can see the shame and pain in your eyes. I know you hurt on the inside every day. And I know the only way you can get rid of it is by gaining my forgiveness or facing my wrath." Her voice turned cold, and her eyes became hard.

"But you won't have either of them." A lone tear fell from his eye.

"I won't do anything to you Yugi because you are doing that job pretty good yourself. You are making yourself suffer quite nicely, so there is no need for me to come in and rid you of your pain. I won't forgive you either. I'll let you wallow in your guilt and suffer, because I want you to feel the pain and the anguish. I want your guilt to eat you up inside until you are nothing but an empty shell dead inside, hiding your tears behind a big smile. That will be your punishment." She turned and began walking away.

"Why?" He asked in a broken voice. She looked over her shoulder to see his pitiful form and replied.

"Because that is what you have turned me into."

...

* * *

Thanks for reading.

Please review and let me know what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

...

"What the hell are you talking about Tristan?" Joey said in an aggravated tone.

"I told you already." Tristan said uncomfortably. "You know how the showroom has been for a while now. So I think it would be better if we separated our business, you know, try things on our own to see how it plays out."

"How it plays out?" Joey repeated. "What do you mean 'how it plays out'? It's not like it'll be different for us. Either we are together or separate, it'll be the same end result. She is after both of us."

"Don't be so sure about that Joey." It was Mai who spoke as she entered the living room of their house, Serenity following close behind. Both stared at Tristan with accusing eyes, frowns evident on their faces.

"What do you mean?" Joey asked, confused.

"Would you tell him Tristan or should I?" Mai asked in a sugary sweet voice. Tristan's heartbeat increased tenfold.

"Tell me what?" Joey now yelled in irritation.

"This." Serenity said, throwing a gossip magazine towards Joey. He caught it and stared at the cover page, his eyes widening considerably. On the cover page was a large picture of Tea hugging Nina. Also adorning a corner, was a small picture of Tea and Tristan facing each other, appearing to be in a conversation.

"What. The. Hell. Is. This?" Joey breathed venomously. Tristan's face paled as he stared at the picture.

"Listen Joey-." He began.

"This is why Tristan wants to separate his business from you." Mai said, glaring at Tristan. "His slut struck a deal with the bitch and begged for forgiveness on his behalf. And _she_, being the angel of mercy that she is, forgave him and gave him her blessings. So now he wants to break off from us."

"Is this true Tristan?" Joey asked, his nostrils flaring in anger.

"No it's not." Tristan said. "It's not what you think."

"Then how do you explain the picture… or the story in the magazine?" Serenity asked. Tristan had no answer since he hadn't had the opportunity to read the latest piece of gossip about Tea.

"That's right." Mai said in triumph. "You have no answer because what I said was true. You sent your fat cow of a girlfriend over to get some pity and obviously you got it."

"Enough Mai." Tristan said, raising his voice.

"It's all true." Serenity piped in.

"No it is not. Nothing of that sort happened. Nina met Tea and became friends with her without my knowledge." Tristan said.

"I can't believe you did that." Joey said, yelling in anger. "You ditched us for someone who made our lives miserable. What kind of friend are you?"

"I didn't do anything wrong." Tristan said, making another effort to explain. "Exactly how or when Nina and Tea became friends, I don't know. But what I do know is that Tea has been very nice to Nina, even after finding out about her relationship with me. She didn't hold anything against Nina for what I did in the past."

"What do you mean, what you did? You didn't do anything wrong. None of us did." Mai interrupted, but Tristan ignored her outburst and continued speaking.

"The picture you are seeing, it was taken yesterday afternoon. Nina had gone out without telling me, and I was worried sick for her. I found out later that she was with Tea. To be honest, initially I feared for Nina's safety, but my fears were never confirmed. Tea took care of Nina, and due to her condition, she personally brought Nina home." Tristan's gaze flickered to the floor as he continued speaking.

"I… I spoke to Tea then. I am not saying that we patched things up right away, but at least we talked."

"Oh yeah, and what did you talk about?" Mai asked with a sneer.

"I bet he begged her to _spare_ him." Serenity said in a dramatic tone. Tristan shot her a glare.

"We had a civil conversation. I did apologize for what happened in the past, and for causing her pain and stress, but-."

"So you cowered before the mighty movie star." Mai said. "You just caved in and fell at her feet for mercy."

"I did it because it was the right thing to do." Tristan snapped at Mai before turning to Joey. "Tell me Joey, have you not regretted how things turned out between Tea and us, not even once? Do you not find yourself wishing that Tea was still our friend, and that our gang was still intact just like in high school?" Joey looked down, emotions fluttering across his face, and he seemed unsure and conflicted. Mai noticed that and was quick to speak.

"What happened was unfortunate but it wasn't our fault. We didn't leave without notice and then come back with a vengeance. We don't have to apologize for anything. She's the one who should apologize."

"She feels betrayed by all her friends. She has every right to be angry." Tristan said.

"Oh, so now you're defending her?" Serenity accused. Tristan sighed.

"Look, I don't want to argue with you." He said in a tired voice. "I have a family to look after, and I don't want to sacrifice their well-being and future for my ego. Let's just separate our business amicably. I am hoping that we split the assets 50-50." He then turned on his heel and began walking out.

"There will be no splitting of assets." Mai screamed, causing him to halt. "The business was established from my money and Serenity's. You have no right on any assets."

"I put my heart and soul, blood and sweat into that business." Tristan yelled for the first time since his arrival at Joey's house. "While Joey was out opening his big mouth and causing trouble, I was in the office, handling the situations he created. I may not have put much money into the business, but without my hard work, it would have never gotten the status and success it did. I have equal right if not more, and I'll fight for it if I have to." He then turned to Joey.

"Joey, I'll have my lawyer contact yours. I hope we do this as peacefully as possible, without the media attention." He then exited the mansion with a frown on his face. But the conversation that had happened inside wasn't the only reason for that frown. The magazine story and cover kept swarming before his eyes, and a few question popped in his head over and over again.

Had Tea done this on purpose?

Had she planned to create suspicion and distrust in Joey's mind?

Was this just another one of her ploys to get revenge on him?

Was he making a mistake by putting his trust in her?

But her voice had held no deceit when she had spoken with him. Then again, she was an award-winning actress. She could have just faked it. Had he missed something from their conversation?

Flashback

_Tristan paced in the living room, eyes darting towards the door every few seconds. He has spoken to Nina a few minutes ago and she had informed him that she would be reaching home in a few minutes. But what bothered him was what she had said before that. She had told him that she had gone to Tea's mansion, and it was her who was dropping her off._

_His heart raced as he thought about his possible encounter with Tea. Their last meeting had been very tense, with him expecting some kind of nasty attack from her. But she had made it clear that she had no intentions of hurting Nina or his unborn child. But this time, it was different. He wasn't as guarded as he had been last time. In fact, he felt very bare and weak at this moment. His heart beat wildly against his chest as he imagined coming face to face with his once best friend. What should he say? What would she say? How would she behave? How should he act?_

_The sound of a car pulling in the driveway thankfully interrupted his thoughts and he quickly raced towards the door and opened it. He was met with the sight of a heavily pregnant Nina being supported by Tea, while a tall man, whom he knew as Joshua, her body guard, appeared from the another car._

_"Tristan." Nina exclaimed, shooting him a wide smile. He quickly strode towards her and took her by the elbow, aiding her walk. Tea let go when she saw Nina was well supported._

_"Nina, I can't believe you. What were you thinking? Have you no care for your health or the baby's? Do you have any idea what could have happened to you or the baby? Do you-."_

_"Tristan, I'm okay. No need to worry." She said sweetly. Tristan let out an exasperated sigh and helped her inside their house. From the corner of his eye, he saw Tea and Joshua stand by the door, watching them._

_"You are welcomed to come in." He shot over his shoulder, and watched as Tea hesitantly stepped in, eyes glancing around curiously, or maybe it was cautiously. Turning his attention back to Nina, he carefully seated her on a couch and then turned to Tea and Joshua._

_"Please have a seat. Do you want something to drink?" Tea shook her head._

_"No, we should be getting back." She turned to Nina and smiled. "Thanks for your visit Nina. It cheered me up a lot. But promise me you won't be paying me anymore surprise visits until it is safe to do so, which I think will be in a few weeks." Nina let out a small laugh._

_"I will definitely pay you a visit if you don't come to see me and my baby when its born."_

_"Of course I will come." Tea assured her. "And I will try to come up with a creative present to give you and the baby. I know it probably won't match your basket, but it'll be something."_

_"Your presence alone will be enough." Nina said gratefully. Tea smiled and gave the woman a small hug before whispering good luck and good bye in her ear. She then turned on her heel and began walking outside, Joshua walking beside her. She was about to sit in her car when she heard someone call her name. Turning around, she found Tristan standing a few feet away._

_"I hope you are not here to accuse me of trying to harm your fiancé." Tea said. Tristan looked away._

_"No. I… I actually just need to speak with you… privately if possible." He said the last part while eyeing Joshua. Tea appeared thoughtful for a few seconds but then nodded her head. Joshua sighed and sat in the car. Tea walked closer to Tristan._

_"What do you want?" She asked in a non-friendly tone._

_"I…" Now that he had her alone, he didn't know what to say._

_"I don't have time for this." Tea said, turning around and walking away when he spoke._

_"I'm sorry." Her body visibly stiffened and she turned to face him with fire in her eyes._

_"Why are you sorry? What reason do you have to be sorry?" He looked away in shame._

_"I realize what we did was wrong. We… we weren't considerate of your feelings." Tea snorted in disbelief and disinterest. "I can't speak for the rest, but I know that what I did was wrong. I… at that time, I was blinded by my feelings for Serenity. I couldn't see anything but her, and I wanted her to be happy no matter what. Part of the reason why I supported her was because I thought that it was fate for Serenity to be with Kaiba, and I wanted her to be happy. Part of the reason was that I thought my support would make her come to me. I know that I was being selfish and in doing so, I completely disregarded your feelings."_

_"I don't want to hear all this." Tea said._

_"But I need to tell you." Tristan said insistently. "Tea, I… when you left without telling us, I was worried. I expected the worst and knew I was to blame for it. Guilt ate me up inside and I withdrew a bit from the group. Yugi did the same. Both of us… although we didn't say it out loud, we both realized the error of our way, and have tried our best to not make any more mistakes. But I know all our efforts are futile unless we earn your forgiveness." She tried to speak again, but he held up his hand to silence her._

_"I know what you are going to say. I know about your meeting with Yugi. He told me. I can understand your position Tea. Perhaps I would have done the same had I been in your position." Tea raised her eyebrows._

_"Get to the point Tristan."_

_"Look Tea, I really am sorry for what I did. I know we can't go back to being best friends, but I want to have an amicable relationship with you, for Nina's sake." Tea didn't say anything for a few moments._

_"Nina is a special woman." She finally said. Tristan appeared confused at her comment but nodded his head._

_"Yeah she is. I'm very lucky to have her." Tea stared at him long and hard, and then turned on her heel, walking away._

_"Separate your business from Joey." She said over her shoulder, glancing at him from the corner of her eyes. His mouth opened in surprise, but he didn't say anything or do anything. Tea reached the car and held the door, but did not get in._

_"This doesn't mean I've forgiven you." She clarified. "But your honesty and your relationship with Nina has put you in a much better position than the rest." Tristan nodded his head in understanding and watched her get in the car and leave._

End flashback

Did having Nina as Tea's friend really put him in a better position? Tea did seem to have taken a liking to Nina, and Tristan hoped she would not want to indirectly hurt Nina by directly hurting him.

But the question still remained; could he trust Tea?

By the looks of the situation, he had no other choice. If he stayed with Joey, he was definitely screwed. But if he put his faith in Tea, there was a slight chance that things may improve. And for Nina's sake and the sake of his unborn child, he had to take that chance.

It was a gamble, he knew, but he seriously prayed it would pay off in the end.

* * *

Tea put on a fake smile as she walked through the halls of Kaiba Corp. She had received a call from them today requesting her presence at a meeting regarding the Duel Disk VX. As she approached the office where she was to meet up with a representative from the company, the familiarity of the surrounding settled into her mind. She knew this hallway; she had been here many times before.

'So this is how he wants to play.' She thought and a frown creased her features. Pasting on a mask of indifference, she knocked on his door and waited for the reply. Upon receiving it, she entered.

Just as she had expected, Seto Kaiba sat in his plush leather chair, eyes fixing her with a piercing gaze.

"Good afternoon Mr. Kaiba." She said in a professional tone, her gaze not faltering from his. He, however, did not reply, but she did notice a slight slumping of his shoulders. She inwardly smirked, knowing his attempt to intimidate her had failed.

"Since I know your time is too valuable to be wasted on the likes of me, I'll get right to it." She said in saccharine tone. "Why have I been called again? I finished my contract with Kaiba Corp. with the filming of the ad."

"Have a seat." Was all he said as he continued to stare at her. She let out an impatient breath and sat opposite to him.

"It is true that you have finished your contract with Kaiba Corp. But you haven't been called here for another photo shoot or a commercial." He said. "You may already know that Duel Disk VX has had phenomenal success in the market and has broken all sales records, not just in Kaiba Corp. but in the technology industry. Though much credit goes to the engineers and visionaries behind the Duel Disk VX, your part in the promotion of the disk is also noticeable. Kaiba Corp. has decided to hold a party to celebrate the success of our product, and due to your association with Duel Disk VX, you are required to attend." Tea blew out a loud breath to signify her annoyance, but nodded her head.

"I could have been informed of this via e-mail or phone. There was no need for me to be here in person." A small smile appeared on his lips.

"Yes. But I needed an excuse to speak with you." As soon as the words had left his mouth, Tea stood up to leave.

"Tea please, listen to me." She did not bother turning or stopping.

"You have nothing to say that I'm interested in hearing."

"It's about Mokuba." Her footsteps halted on their own. In her mind, she knew that he was just using Mokuba to secure a few more minutes of her time, but despite the warnings in her head, she turned around.

"What is it?" She said in an icy tone, not wanting to show any weakness before him.

"Have a seat Tea." He said. She shook her head.

"Tell me what you have to say or I am leaving. I don't have the patience for your lies."

"Believe me Tea, I'll tell you no lies." He said, leaning back in his chair in a tired manner. She only huffed in disbelief.

"Was Mokuba with you this morning?" A frown of confusion appeared on her face at his question.

"No. He wasn't." She replied and watched him close his eyes. She knew from past experience it was to hide his emotions.

"Do you… do you at least know where he is?" He asked and her frown deepened.

"Yes I do." She said, carefully watching his reaction. "Don't you know?" A pained look crossed his features and he looked away from her questioning eyes.

"No. He… he didn't tell Rosa." Seto hesitantly admitted.

"Didn't he tell you?" She found herself asking before she could stop herself.

"He hasn't told me anything about his activities or life for almost 4 years now." Seto said, much to Tea's shock. "If I ever learn anything, it's through Rosa or strangers." Tea could hardly believe what Seto had told her.

"By the look on your face, I'd say you didn't know about our situation." He said. Tea shook her head and he sighed.

"Mokuba hasn't spoken to me since that day." Seto said. He didn't need to specify what day he was referring to, and Tea sure didn't need a reminder. "He was deeply hurt by my decision, and thought it a suitable punishment to take away from me someone I cared for since I had done the same to him." Seto's voice was weary and tired as he spoke.

"I tried to get him to open up, I tried to get him to forgive me but…" He said in a voice laced with emotion. "It was no use. He cut himself from me as much as he could, becoming a stranger before my very eyes." He lifted his face to match his gaze with hers and she took a step back at the emotions and desperation that was shinning in those normally cold eyes.

"I lost my brother the day I lost you." He said. Tea could feel her throat constricting and was surprised to find herself feeling emotion for him.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked after a pause.

"I have tried all that I can to get Mokuba to at least acknowledge my existence, but it has been of no use. You are my last resort, my last hope." Tea's heart beat wildly against her chest at his words and she held her breath as he continued.

"Last time I spoke to Mokuba, he said I needed to earn your forgiveness for him to forgive me." Her hands curled into fists. So this was his game. He was going to emotionally blackmail her by using his ruined relationship with Mokuba.

"I won't forgive you just because you ask me for it." She said in anger. He sighed.

"I am willing to do anything you ask of me Tea. Just… just give me my brother back. He is all that I have, all that I care about. Four agonizing years I have spent, longing for him to just say my name without hate, just to call me brother. For so long I have ached for a smile from him, a kind word, that now I am willing to do anything for it. I know I have hurt you Tea, but I am not asking you to forget all that I did and forgive me." He looked away in regret.

"I know things will probably not be the way they were before, but I am not asking for that. All I ask for is a civil relationship, at least in front of Mokuba." The desperation in his voice made it difficult for her to refuse right away, and she knew deep in her heart she could not, because she could see that his words had been true and from the heart. As she looked at him now, she realized that never had she seen the great Seto Kaiba look to fragile, so vulnerable, so helpless. Words died in her throat and she continued to stare at him. Why had she not noticed the bags under his eyes before, or the paleness of his skin? His face seemed to have thinned a bit, and his hair had somewhat lost their luster. His posture, too, lacked the confidence, the strength, the arrogance that was characteristic of him. This wasn't the man who had broken her heart and caused her so much pain and suffering. No, this was someone who was at the verge of being completely broken from the pain and suffering he had endured at the loss of his brother, his reason for life, his everything.

"Would you give me another chance?" His voice brought her out of her stream of thoughts and for the first time since her arrival in Domino, she felt unsure of her reaction.

"Mistakes aren't easily forgiven." She said coldly. "You, of all people, should know that."

"People make mistakes. It's only fair to give them a second chance." A nostalgic feeling overcame her as her own words rang in her mind. She quickly turned and began walking out.

"Second chances are given to those who prove themselves deserving, not to those who will use it to repeat their so called mistake." With that, she made to leave. Just before she exited, she spoke over her shoulder.

"I will get back to Kaiba Corp. on attending the event you mentioned. As for Mokuba, he is at his friend's house." She didn't not fully turn around to see his reaction, nor did she give him any time to respond, but closed the door behind her and walked away from his office. She needed to get away from this place, from this environment to get his words, his emotions, and his broken image out of her head. She would not succumb to emotions of pity and act weak. No, she would not let him take advantage of her like that.

She had been so absorbed in her own thoughts that she failed to notice Mokuba waving at her from across the hall.

"Tea, what's up?" Mokuba said as she neared him. She looked up in surprise, not expecting to see him, and then hurriedly walked towards him.

"Mokuba I need to talk to you, in private." He sensed her anxiety and ushered her into a conference room nearby. Closing the door behind him, he turned to her.

"What did he do?" Mokuba said in a strained voice. Tea was surprised to hear the distaste in his voice as he referred to Seto. "I know you had a meeting with him, and that's why I came to get you, but I guess he pulled some cheap stunt before I got here." Mokuba's voice and attitude confirmed what Seto had said.

"Mokuba, how is your relationship with your brother?" She asked in a soft voice. Mokuba's shoulders visibly stiffened, his eyes hardening.

"What did he say to you?"

"Answer me Mokuba." Tea said, raising her voice to a strict tone.

"It is as it should be." He replied.

"So what he said was right." Tea said more to herself that to him. Mokuba's eyes narrowed.

"What did he say to you?" He asked again.

"I never bothered asking you about your relationship with him, but I never thought it would be like this. Never would I have imagined you to be so cruel to him, so brutal to your own brother."

"He is not my brother." Mokuba said angrily.

"Why are you so angry with him?" She asked in soft voice.

"He hurt you." Mokuba said in a frustrated voice. "He took you away from me. I… I thought of you as my best friend, as my sister. I was too young when my mother passed away, and I saw you as my mother-like figure. I trusted you and saw you as family, and he took all that away from me." Tea's eyes softened at his response and she reached out to gently touch his shoulder.

"And for what?" Mokuba said in a loud voice. "For an easy lay?" His shoulders slumped in disappointment as he spoke. "I used to look up to him." He said in a whisper. "I believed in everything he did. I admired him so much that I almost worshipped him. He was my idol, and then in one move, he destroyed his image before my eyes. He literally took away everything from me." Mokuba looked away, trying to hide the hurt he was feeling.

"You don't know how hard it was for me then. I lost my faith in the one person I trusted and admired more than anyone else in the world. I needed someone to be there for me, to explain it to me, to help me from being so lost and unsure, but he had taken that away from me too. He isolated me from everything so I did the same to him. I took away someone he said he cared about so now we are even." Tea stared at Mokuba in sympathy. Now she knew how he had suffered, and what had caused him to cut Seto out of his life. He had felt pain of his own. Very gently, she held his cheek and turned his face towards her.

"Do you know why it still hurts Mokuba?" She said gently. "Because you still love him. Despite your best efforts, you still love him and think of him as your brother. No matter how much you want, you can't cut all ties with him, and you dislike yourself and him for that." Mokuba's shoulders shook and Tea thought she was looking at an 8 year old Mokuba again, so vulnerable and unsure. She quickly hugged him, engulfing him in her protective and loving embrace, trying to give him the comfort he so desperately sought and needed.

"I tried to get him to hate me." Mokuba said in a shaking voice. "I was rude to him. I disrespected him. I went against his wishes as much as I could. But I just couldn't get him to hate me." Tea rubbed his back in a soothing manner and spoke.

"He can't hate you, no matter what you do because you are his reason for everything, the one person he has devoted his life to. You are his light, his day, his purpose, and his focus. He loves you more than his own life."

"I know." Mokuba said in a hoarse whisper. Silence fell upon the two as Mokuba struggled with his spiraling emotions, and Tea attempted to comfort him as much as she could.

"Mokuba." Tea spoke after a while, gently running her fingers through his hair.

"Hmm." Mokuba muttered, still in her embrace.

"You know that your brother has devoted all his life to you. Everything he has done, every move he has made, every goal he set for himself, every decision he took, even every breath he took, he did it for you, always keeping you in mind and making sure it benefitted you more than anyone else, even him." Mokuba's head slumped a bit, and she knew he felt guilt.

"I know." He finally replied.

"Being with Serenity was the decision he made for himself, for his own benefit, keeping his own needs and desires in mind. After devoting his every move to you, don't you think he had that right? Don't you think he had the right to make one choice solely for his own benefit?" Mokuba separated from Tea's embrace and looked away in shame.

"For once he thought of himself, and you delivered such a cruel punishment to him."

"I am angry at the reason for his decision." Mokuba said in a frustrated voice. "He cheated on you many times, and then left you just because you refused to sleep with him on his demand. Every time I look at him, I don't see someone I can be proud of, or someone I can call my brother and not be ashamed of it."

"I know you don't like the decision he made, but it was not yours to make." Tea continued. "True that he has always given you a greater right on his life than himself, but it does not mean you should completely take over his life. You can't choose who he should or shouldn't be with. It should be up to him because he knows himself and knows what is best for him. You should trust his judgment and have faith in his choice. It doesn't matter that you don't like what he has done, or who he has chosen. You should just stand by him, because it is his decision. You know he would have done the same for you, and still would." Mokuba sighed loudly and slumped on a nearby chair, holding his head in his hands. She could the conflict on his face and knew what he must be thinking. She moved closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I appreciate your concern for my feelings Mokuba." She spoke softly. "But I don't want you to torture yourself or your brother for my sake. You having a decent relationship with your brother will not bother me or hurt me. If that had been the case, I would never have kept any ties with you, and cut you out of my life just because of your association with him." He nodded his head slowly.

"When I spoke to him today, I saw the pain in his eyes." Tea said in a small voice. "He longs to have his little brother back."

"I… I can't. It's…" Mokuba struggled to reply.

"Talk to him and try to mend your relationship. I know it won't be easy, and things won't go back to normal in a day, but at least make an effort. Start by being civil to him, and giving him another chance. You know deep down that that is the least he deserves." Mokuba nodded his head and looked up at her.

"Thanks Tea." She kneeled before him and hugged him before getting up.

"Come on. Let's go back to my place. Joshua got this new video game and kicked my ass yesterday. He has been boasting about it since, and even though it has only been a day, he's gotten on my nerves. You can beat him and shut him up." Mokuba smiled in return and got up as well.

"One arrogant ass kicking, coming right up." They laughed and exited, talking animatedly amongst themselves, both failing to notice a shadow that had been leaning against the wall.

As soon as the two disappeared out of sight, Seto moved out of the shadows and walked towards his office. He had followed Tea after she had left, in a desperate attempt to convince her, but had quickly hid when Mokuba had entered the picture. He hadn't expected Tea to talk to Mokuba right away, or what he had just heard.

He didn't know Mokuba had felt that way about him. He thought he had robbed Mokuba of a friend, but he never imaged he had taken Mokuba's brother away as well. Mokuba had always idolized him as a child, but now he was ashamed to even look at him.

He had fallen in his little brother's eyes.

He had degraded himself in Mokuba's eyes.

He felt his throat constrict and felt moisture gathering at the corner of his eyes.

Such a huge punishment for his mistake.

Had he known in advance how much suffering his decision would be causing those he loved, he would never have gone through with it, even if it was the most desired at that point. Had he known, he would have sacrificed everything for Mokuba's sake.

But it was too late now.

He couldn't change the past.

All he was left with now was regrets.

…

…

And another chance… should Mokuba give him one.

He placed his arms on the desk and rested his head on them, letting the tears fall. For the first time in his life, he felt completely helpless. And perhaps for the first time in a long time, he turned to God and humbly prayed for strength and a chance to set things right.

* * *

Ring, ring.

Ring, ring.

Tea's hand reached out for her cell phone placed at the night stand. She stared at the ID was surprised to see 'private caller' written.

Who could it be, calling so late at night?

Only a few knew her number, and their IDs had been fed into the phone's memory. This was someone she hadn't given her number to. She contemplated on whether or not she should pick up. In the end, curiosity won over apprehension and she answered.

"Hello." She said in an inquiring voice. No reply came from the other side.

"Who is it?" She asked. Still, no reply.

Was someone playing a trick on her? Was it one of the guys pulling a prank on her to freak her out?

"If you don't answer now, I'm going to hang up." She warned, a frown appearing on her face.

"Tea…"

She would recognize that voice no matter much time had passed since they had talked over the phone.

"Please don't hang up." He said in a desperate tone, and she suddenly realized she had that option, though she hadn't been considering it, probably due to shock and a myriad of other emotions she refused to dwell upon.

"What do you want?" She asked in a cold voice. Once again, she was greeted with silence.

"I don't have time for this." She said in a frustrated tone and was about to hang up when she heard him speak again.

"Thank you." She brought the phone close to her ear again at his word.

"You talked to Mokuba… and for that, I'm grateful." He said. She was surprised at his confession. Sure it was highly unusual for Seto Kaiba to acknowledge someone's favor, but that wasn't what had surprised her. He was thanking her for speaking with Mokuba, but how did he know about it? Had Mokuba already spoken with him? She could have bet Mokuba would take a few days to sort out his feelings before speaking with his brother. Perhaps Mokuba was as eager as Seto to erase their differences.

"I did it for Mokuba." She said to clear any misconceptions he may develop. She would not let this instance be seen as a moment of emotional weakness. On the other line, Seto let a small smile form on his lips. He had expected this response.

"I heard what you said to him." He said in a quiet whisper, and she froze momentarily.

He had heard what she had said?

Was that why he was calling her?

Did he think she could be easily swayed by a few emotional words, and was calling to perhaps test and prove that theory?

"Mokuba hasn't spoken to me yet," Seto continued speaking, ending her train of thoughts, "but I saw the changed look in his eyes. They did not hold the same malice for me that I had encountered for almost four years. Thank you for that." He said in an honest tone.

"Like I said, I only did it for Mokuba." She said, but her voice did not hold coldness or anger anymore.

Silence fell over them again. Tea struggled to select an appropriate reaction to the situation, but her mind was in disarray for some reason. She could only imagine what Seto was feeling at this moment. It was Seto who broke the silence.

"I missed you when you were gone." He said in a gentle voice. His words, simple and plain, carried so much emotion that she felt her throat constrict at their intensity. "I thought about you every day, and dreamt of you every night."

"Why are you saying this?" She whispered in a hoarse voice.

"As time passed, I realized how wrong a choice I had made, and how much you meant to me." He continued speaking, completely ignoring her question. "I could barely spend a spare minute and not regret my decision. There wasn't a single moment when I did not wish to reverse the tides of time and have you back with me, in my arms. But despite all my yearnings, I never sought you out because of my pride. My damn pride kept me from finding you and reaching out to you, no matter how much my heart wanted it."

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked again, her voice almost breaking.

"You said that I made a mistake, and told Mokuba to give me another chance." He said. "Would you do the same?" She had no answer for that. She desperately racked her brain for a reply, but none came to her. All she could do was try to steady the beat of her heart that had increased tenfold since the beginning of this call.

"Would you give me a chance to earn your forgiveness?" He asked again.

"If our positions had been switched, would you have given me another chance?" She asked in small whisper. On the other side, Seto froze. Would he have given her another chance had she left him for someone else and humiliated him? He didn't have to think long to know the answer but he still struggled to find a different one.

Tea waited for him to respond, every passing second washing away the spell of emotions the call had woven over her. She had asked the question already knowing the answer, and now his silence confirmed it. Taking a deep breath, she spoke, the coldness back in her voice.

"Good night Mr. Kaiba." She quickly hung up, not risking being trapped in his words again. Very gently, she placed the phone back on the night stand. She then turned the lights off and closed her eyes, refusing to acknowledge the heartache that had just invaded her soul, or the tears that escaped her eyes.

...

* * *

Thanks for reading.

Please review and give me your input.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

...

His eyes were fixed at the entrance.

She was not here… yet, he assured himself. But she will be. She had said so herself. She was probably running a bit late, or fashionably late, as Mai liked to call it.

The seat beside him, reserved for his date was empty.

Flashback

_"You know, if you had told me about it yourself, we wouldn't be in this mess right now." Serenity fumed as she hurried to get ready, violently brushing her hair in front of a mirror. On the other side of the room, Seto did his tie, ignoring the angry woman._

_"I mean, I had to find out from your secretary that today was the day, and then it was too late to go shopping for a nice dress. I had to wear this one." She said, frowning at her peach colored gown. "Sure I haven't worn it, but I wanted something better, something more expensive and dashing to celebrate your success. Plus, I only have one matching jewellery set to go with it, and only two pairs of matching shoes to choose from. I don't have many options available to look as beautiful as I can. Thank God for my natural beauty or this would have been an even bigger mess. But I still can't believe you never told me, your date, about the-."_

_"You're not my date for the night." Seto said, cutting through her rant._

_"What?" Serenity said in disbelief, stopping short of putting on her diamond earnings._

_"I said, you are not my date for tonight. I intentionally didn't tell you."_

_"Why?" Serenity all but yelled. "You have another date? Are you going with her?" Seto knew who "her" was._

_"No." He replied._

_"Then why can't I go?" She asked, not believing him._

_"Because you have no place there." Seto said, snapping at her. "You had nothing to do with the product or campaign or its success, so it is pointless for you to be there."_

_"But I have something to do with you." Serenity said. "I am your girlfriend." Her voice lost some of its power as she said it. Guilt seeped into his mind but he dismissed it as soon as it made its presence known._

_"I don't have time to waste on you right now." He said, swiftly walking past her, leaving her hurt and angry. Just as he walked down the stairs, he heard her yell._

_"I hope that bitch doesn't show up."_

End Flashback

Faintly, his heart was beating with fear that perhaps Serenity's scornful wish had come true. Perhaps today, he was to face humiliation at the hands of the one he cared for, just as she must have faced when he had left her screaming in their bedroom.

Karma sure was a bitch.

In his musings, he failed to notice a petite female approaching him. Only when a slender hand touched his shoulder did he notice her presence and was met by a radiant smile on an equally radiant face.

"My, my, what has caught your attention that you are unaware of approaching threats?" She said in an amused tone.

"Reina Hariguka." Seto said in a polite tone, addressing the now smiling woman. "Always a pleasure to see you." Although his voice lacked any disrespect or mockery, Reina's smile disappeared and was replaced by fake hurt.

"Must you always be so mean?" She said with a cute pout. Seto couldn't help himself as a smirk took form on his lips.

"It's my style, as you so kindly put it a year ago. And according to you, I am nothing if not a mean, grouchy billionaire." He said.

"Only you would remember and take to heart a comment made in jest." She said.

"Well, let it be known then, don't jest with Seto Kaiba." Seto replied.

"I tell her times and times again," Another voice joined the conversation, much to Seto's relief and Reina's amusement, and soon, Shinn appeared, "but she doesn't listen to me."

"Yes." Seto said. "Your wife seems to derive much _pleasure_ in "jesting" with me. I wonder if she is deprived of it in her life." Shinn blushed faintly and looked to change the topic.

"Congratulations again on the success of the product Mr. Kaiba. Your decisions and far-sightedness proved, once again, that Kaiba Corp. could have no better president."

"Don't flatter him Shinn." Reina said. "This building is barely large enough to contain his ego. If you give him a boost, I'm sure we will be out of breathing space." Shinn sighed in defeat. Reina would never leave the elder Kaiba alone, would she? Sometimes he wondered why she did it, and more importantly, why did the grouchy Kaiba put up with her? Despite his intelligence and knowledge of the two individuals in questions, the answer was beyond him. In situations like these, he found it best to find an excuse and take his leave, and let the two duke it out. So making an excuse to speak with another executive, Shinn escaped their company, leaving the two at each other's mercy.

Reina smirked in a very disturbing way and Seto quickly looked away.

"So, where is your girlfriend?" Reina asked causally as she took a seat opposite him. Seto's gaze didn't even flicker for a second as he replied.

"She is not needed."

"At the event or in your life?" Reina said cheekily. Seto half-heartedly glared at her, but it had no effect on Reina at all.

"I'd say 'trouble in paradise' but only half of the expression applies to the two of you. So what's up?" Raina said. "Why isn't she here? I must say, with her not latched onto your arm, you look a little thin."

"Like you said, there's not enough room here to support my ego, let alone two divas."

"Really?" Reina said in mock surprise. "Who is the other diva?" Seto fully glared at her now and she laughed. "From what Shinn tells me, Tea Gardener is no diva. But then again, there is bad blood between you two according to media."

"Media is only spurting a collage of lies." Seto grumbled. Reina raised an amused eyebrow.

"Oh? So there are no problems whatsoever between you two, no past relationship, no budding present relationship, no prospect of a future relationship?" She said eagerly.

"We have a professional relationship, nothing more." Seto said, his voice plain and emotionless.

"Well that sucks." She said with a dejected look. "I was hoping to get some gossip, some juicy story out of you of your tragic past. It would have been so amazing if you two were past lovers torn apart by trials of time and now reunited. Don't you think so?" She finished with a dreamy sigh. Seto just turned his head away to hide the pain that he feared might be reflecting in his eyes, though the action itself was meant to imply disgust at Reina's notions.

"Only you would come up with such garbage." He said, turning to face her. She smiled.

"Possibly." She admitted. "But I still find it hard to believe that you two are not, at the very least, well acquainted with each other. She was Mokuba's friend, and from what I know about you, you are very knowledgeable of people that associate with you or your brother. You must have known her."

"I… did." Seto admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But she was so very different than this celebrity that it feels like I never knew her at all."

Before Reina could reply, a murmur went through the crowd, successfully gaining their attention. And then through the throngs of reporters and admirers, emerged the star of the campaign and the evening.

Tea was dressed in a beautiful deep purple, strapless dress with mauve patterns decorating the waist up. The dress reached up to her knees, ending just where her beautifully sculpted calves started. She wore matching heels. Her hair fell straight past her shoulders, her bangs elegantly brushed to the side. Despite the simplicity of her appearance, she looked nothing less than a goddess in human form. Everyone was taken by her.

"Look at that." Reina said in an amused voice. "My husband's got more balls than you. He's not just talking to her, but keeping her attention all to him too." Seto was about to retort, but Reina beat him to it.

"And you were wondering about my lack of pleasure in the house." She fully smiled at him. "That's for your earlier comment." Seto only glared at her. This woman, she frustrated him to no end. She dared put herself and her husband's job in jeopardy, knowing fully well that he could seriously humiliate her or fire Shinn. But she still dared. And Seto had no clue as to why he hadn't done what he normally would have done.

"Don't look so glum Seto." Reina said cheerfully. "Shinn is not mean like you. Look, he's bringing her over." Seto straightened up, pretending not to be interested at all, while his heart beat furiously against his chest. Tea neared their table, her eyes focused on Reina, never once flickering to even register his presence.

"Miss Tea, this is Reina, my wife. Reina you already know Miss Tea." Shinn introduced them. Tea smiled radiantly and Seto felt his heart swell with joy and relief.

Her smile, it hadn't changed. It was the same. It was still the same.

"It's so nice to finally meet you." Tea said in her melodic voice, or maybe it just felt like that to Seto. How long had it been since he had heard her talk so pleasantly to someone. Too long, he concluded. His presence, his company always robbed her of her beauty.

"Shinn has told me so much about you." Tea continued speaking to an amused Reina.

"Really? He remembered to talk about me when he was with you?" Her voice housed a light, teasing tone. Tea smiled.

"Of course. He always spoke of you when he was with me, always singing your praises, telling me about your beauty, charm, wit, and kindness."

"And when with me, he sang your praises, telling me about your talent, humble nature, friendliness, and of course beauty." She cast a sly look at Shinn and said. "Shinn, have you been playing both of us?" Shinn only laughed at her jest and kissed her cheek.

"I spoke the truth and nothing else. No one would deny what I said about either of you, right Mr. Kaiba?" All eyes turned to Seto who huffed staring at Reina.

"I may disagree with some things here and there."

"Ooh, I wonder what do you disagree with regarding Tea." Reina said with an evil look. Seto's glare intensified.

"Reina." Shinn said in a chiding tone, letting her know that she was treading into dangerous territory now.

"Please don't mind her Mr. Kaiba." He said to Seto, who scoffed. "Let us prepare for the speech." And with one last warning look at Reina, Shinn led Seto away from the two females. Reina watched them disappear into the crowd and turned to Tea.

"That's my man, the peacemaker." Tea just smiled and nodded her head. Silence reined over them as Reina sipped her champagne and Tea causally looked around.

"Looking for someone?" Reina asked with an amused grin.

"Oh no." Tea said, fighting an embarrassed blush. "I was just wondering where Ms. Wheeler was." Reina let out a laugh.

"Trying to locate the enemy?" Tea chuckled.

"Just trying to keep my enemies closer." Tea replied with a grin.

"Well, you can let your guard down today." Reina said. "Mr. Kaiba came alone tonight." Tea was quite surprised.

"He didn't bring Serenity." Reina shook her head.

"No. He said something about not needing her."

"Oh." Was all Tea said as she sipped her champagne.

"It's no surprise really." Reina said, carefully studying Tea's face. "Frankly, I don't even know why he has bothered with her for so long, and why he still puts up with her. It's not like he cares for her." She inwardly chuckled watching Tea's eyebrows rise in surprise.

"You don't know that." Tea said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Oh I know." Reina said with confidence.

"But how?"Tea asked impatiently.

"It's the eyes." Reina said with a smirk.

"I… I don't understand." Tea said honestly and Reina laughed.

"Of course you do. You are a woman. Most women have been blessed with the skill to know a man via his eyes. All men try to be like closed books, only giving you the cover to look at. And all covers are the same, you know, macho, powerful, withdrawn, conserve, but loyal." Tea nodded her head.

"If we only had the cover, just a lucky few would actually get what they see, and the rest of us would rue the day we saw that book." Reina said with a smile.

"But no matter how hard men try to hide their feelings and their true selves, their eyes say it all. Take my Shinn. He acts all high and mighty, just like any man, but he is afraid of children. That's why we don't have any kids… yet. Seto Kaiba is just the same. That's why I joke around with him even though I know it may endanger Shinn's job, because I know Seto will not fire Shinn or do me any harm." Tea mutely nodded her head.

"I have seen Seto's eyes when he is with Serenity. There is never any trace of emotion, let alone love. In fact, I saw more emotion in his eyes when I mentioned you and when you came then I have ever seen."Tea mouth was slightly open in shock. Reina laughed.

"I know I am good. But trust me when I say this, most women have this ability." She then leaned forward, covering some of the distance between them and said. "Look in his eyes and you will see the truth."

"Oh no." Tea quickly said to clarify any "misconceptions" Reina may have because of the media. "I was just curious, that's all. I hope you don't believe in the media garbage."

"Of course I don't. I was just saying it for your knowledge. You deal with men, and you have a boyfriend too so I thought this might help." Reina said dismissing Tea's fears, but the grin in her eyes remained. Conversation halted when Seto took the stage and gave a speech about the success of the product. But Tea could barely listen to what he was saying. Her mind was buzzing with the information Reina had given her.

The expressivity of the eyes.

She had heard about the eyes being the window to the soul, but she had always regarded it as nothing more than an old saying that had lost its value and meaning overtime. Reina, however, seemed to have highlighted its evergreen meaning and application.

Could it really be true and applicable to all men?

Even if it was, Seto Kaiba may prove to be the exception. He wasn't like all men. That man defied many qualities associated with human beings and Tea had a feeling that his similarities to other men would be scarce.

Perhaps Reina found it easy because of her profession. She was a psychologist and was well experienced in deciphering emotions and states of being even when expressed via non-verbal means. Tea, on the other hand, had no such talent. She was nothing more than an artist, an actor, who faked emotions all the time.

But this could be a plus point for her in a way as well. She was well versed in expressing fake emotions as the scene demanded. So logically, she should be able to identify when fake emotions were expressed as well. And Stan did say that ninety percent of the acting was done via the eyes.

Yes, she could use this ability that Reina claimed all women possessed. In fact, she would use this ability to expose Seto Kaiba. She would not be fooled by his charade and would see him for who he really was.

Reina watched Tea with a careful smile on her face. She watched as a myriad of emotions fluttered across her features and despite her maturity and control, Reina felt herself feeling giddy. Shinn had informed her of the scene that had occurred on the day of the photo shoot for the Duel Disk VX. Even Shinn seemed to think that they had a past. And today, Reina had seen it for herself. Seto's and Tea's eyes had betrayed them and she knew that they must have held feelings for one another at some point in their lives. She wasn't sure what could have caused a rift to appear between them to bring them to the point they were at now, but she hoped they would resolve whatever issues they had. Despite his acidic comments and arrogant nature, Seto was a good man and Reina couldn't help but want a happy ending for him. And from the looks of it, he was ready for it.

Shinn and Seto joined them again at the table when the speech ended. At that time, the two women were engaged in gossip about Hollywood. Tea was gladly telling Reina about some of the parties where celebrities had made fools of themselves or humiliated others. The men took a seat as well.

"You were great. I am so proud of you honey." Reina said as she kissed Shinn before turning to Seto. "And you weren't half bad either. Just next time, try to work harder and look more enthusiastic." Seto sneered.

"Perhaps you would be so kind to bestow me with lessons." Sarcasm dripped from his every word, but Reina just smiled sweetly.

"Of course. But you know, nothing in this world is for free."

"For the treasure of knowledge you are willing to share with me, I'd pay anything." Seto continued with the sarcasm, a scowl evident on his face.

"Good." Reina said. "Because I am conducting some research and I would love to get your input on it, maybe ask you a few questions." Besides her, Shinn loudly sighed.

"Reina." She turned to him with an innocent look.

"Oh don't worry honey. I know all about Seto's shyness around people, so I am not going to ask him anything in front of you and miss Tea."

"What do you expect us to do? Cover our ears and pretend you two are not here?" Shinn asked and Reina giggled.

"Of course not. You two will leave the table."

"Reina." Shinn said in a warning tone.

"I was merely suggesting that you two enjoy the dance floor. I know you want to dance with Tea Shinn, so don't even try to deny it." Before a red faced Shinn could protest, Reina turned to Tea.

"Would you be so kind as to dance with him? He will not ask you but I know that he wants to. So being the shameless person that I am, I am asking you." Tea giggled and stood up, offering her hand to a blushing Shinn, who took it, but not before shooting a glare at a smiling Reina. He led Tea to the dance floor, where many stood gaping at the two, whispering to each other, shooting Shinn envying glances.

Very gently and carefully, Shinn placed his hand on the small of her back and they began moving to the music.

"I apologize for my wife's behaviour. She seems to think she has reign over everyone and thus tends to order people around." Shinn said.

"I think it is an admiring quality in her. " Tea said. "She is strong and assertive."

"Perhaps the correct words are bossy and arrogant." Shinn said and Tea chuckled.

"Well, whatever she is, she has gotten you well snared." Tea said, looking directly into Shinn's eyes. Immediately, she saw them soften.

"She had me ensnared the moment we met, but it locked when she humiliated me in front of my friends. I knew she was the one for me."

"Usually, the next step to humiliation is hatred, or at least dislike. How did you end up on the wrong track?" Tea joked and Shinn laughed good-naturedly.

"You would think so, but that is not always the case." He said, twirling her on the dance floor. "I have found, from experience, that mistakes in relationships are very useful." Tea raised an eyebrow at his comment. He smiled and continued. "It makes you realize the worth of what you have, and gives you the strength to never let go. For a man, this is especially necessary." His eyes took on a faraway look as he gazed at nothing in the air. "We dated for 2 years, and then I broke it off, over something so stupid and selfish I can't even mention it. Reina was beyond hurt and angry, and gave me an earful in a crowded bar, in front of all of my friends." He chuckled and returned his gaze back to her. "She kicked me in the groin and said that she wished…" He chuckled again. "Needless to say I was the laughing stock of my friends for quite some time. Reina had successfully destroyed my image and trampled my dignity. But guess what, I was the one who went to her and begged for forgiveness and a second chance." Tea's eyes widened in surprise.

"No way." She said and he smiled.

"Yes way." He said. "I did. Only when I had lost her did I learn that I couldn't live without her. And then, I didn't care about anything anymore. All I wanted was to be with her again. My pride protested, I can tell you that, but it wasn't as strong as the desire in my heart. The truth is, I didn't want to live the rest of my life in regret." His eyes bore into hers as he spoke. "In today's world, love is not just rare, but nearly impossible to find. Many couples who are together and claim to love one another are hypocrites who are pretending. But they don't want to let go of the person they are with because they don't want to be alone. They don't want to put themselves out there and be vulnerable because they don't want to get hurt." Tea lowered her gaze to his chest.

"Even when their heart finds someone who may be their soul mate, they hesitate or refrain. They make their mistake and then live the rest of their life in regret, wondering what could have been. Some are even bigger fools who find their love and then leave it over something as ridiculous as pride." She flinched as if Shinn had directed the statement at her.

"They are the ones who suffer the most, and the world is full of them. Even when one of them realizes his or her mistake, the other refuses to give the other a second chance." He sighed. "I have seen it happen many times before. Each time, I feel blessed that Reina and I were above the pathetic hold of pride." Tea's gaze now lowered to the floor, staring at their moving feet.

Why was Shinn saying such things? Did he suspect something? Tea had felt that perhaps Reina had an idea of Seto and Tea's past, or at the very least, she knew they had a past, and that their conversation had seemed to hold a hidden meaning. It had seemed much like a veiled advice. But did she tell Shinn as well? Or did Shinn suspect something as well. He had been present at most of their meetings or encounters as one may call them. Were they that transparent?

"I see that I have put you in a glum mood with my serious talk." Shinn said, noticing Tea's silence and lowered gaze.

"Huh?" Tea said, lifting her face to stare confusedly at him. She had obviously been too lost in thought.

"I was merely commenting on your silence. Perhaps I have bored you with my philosophy." Shinn said with a smile. Tea shook her head.

"Oh no. You have just given me a lot to think about, that's all." She shot him a smile. Just then, the music faded slowly, indicating the end of the song.

"Saved by the music." Shinn said and Tea laughed. They pulled apart and turned in the direction of the table to find it empty and Seto and Reina coming towards them.

"Happy now Shinn? You got to dance with a lovely woman." Reina teased.

"I don't think Miss Tea enjoyed it very much. I believe I bored her with my talking." Shinn said.

"Yes. You do have that tendency." Reina agreed and Tea struggled not to smile too widely. "Not to worry. I have a solution. I have another dance partner for you." She said to Tea, who was quick to shake her head.

"No no. its fine. I think I have had enough dancing for today."

"Nonsense." Reina said, dismissing her claim easily. "I know that you love to dance. And from what I saw, Shinn wasn't great. So you deserve another chance. Everyone does, right?"

"Uhh… right." Tea said, once again, feeling as if there was a hidden meaning to what Reina had just said.

"Right." Reina said excitedly. "So here is your dance partner, Seto Kaiba." Tea opened her mouth to refuse but Reina was quick to cut her off. "I had to work very hard to get him on the dance floor, so please, don't refuse. It would be a blow to his huge ego, and God knows what will happen to me after that."

"Don't force her. She doesn't have to if she does not feel comfortable." Seto said curtly. Tea's eyes hardened at his comment. Did he think she was intimidated?

"It's not a problem Reina." Tea said, trying to keep her voice as pleasant as possible.

"Wonderful." Reina said, clasping her hands. "Come on Shinn. Don't think you are done. You are going to dance with me." Shinn sighed dramatically.

"Of course dear." Reina smiled brightly at Tea, winked at Seto and dragged Shinn a few feet away from them.

Music began to play slowly. Both Seto and Tea stood still, facing each other, neither making the move to grab the other.

"You don't have to do this." Seto finally said in a low voice.

"It's fine." Tea said. She knew that every eye in the room was watching them, and her leaving him on the dance floor would start countless gossip stories and theories. Bravely or perhaps stubbornly, she took a step closer. But all her courage seemed to evaporate when Seto moved closer and placed his hand on the small of her back, pulling her close to his body. His other hand held her small one. Tea's own hand rose to place itself on his shoulder. The music got louder and their bodies began to move to the music.

Her heart was frantic. Too long, it had been too long since she had been in such close proximity to him. The sense of familiarity was nostalgic. His scent was still the same, spice mixed with the smell of coffee. His hand was large, just as she remembered, and still held her small one so gently, yet so securely that she felt even the strongest storm will not be able to shake her balance. Fear and anger seeped into her mind. Even after so long, he had such an effect on her. Why?

Seto watched her face carefully. He watched her take a deep breath and close her eyes, losing herself in her mind. But when her eyes opened, they carried anger. He wondered what she was on her mind. Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear.

"Remember the first time we danced?" A small gasp escaped her lips. Her hand stiffened in his grip, her back straightening, and he knew she remembered. How could she not?

Flashback

_The sound of music filled his ears as he neared the large hall his step father once used for parties, which was now a place for Tea to practice her dance, courtesy of her generous boyfriend. Ever since the first time he had seen her dance, he had taken a liking to it. It had become an immensely enjoyable activity of his, watching her prance around in tight clothing that clung to her body, accentuating every curve, making her look irresistible. It always excited him like nothing else, and after a long day of boring meetings, Seto was looking forward to just watch a beautiful girl dance for his pleasure._

_He entered the hall and as expected, saw her dancing her heart out. It was another thing he liked about her, the effort and devotion she gave to dance. It was not different than the attention he paid to his work. They were similar in that they both had something they were passionate about and worked to ascend all limits to achieve their goals._

_Her eyes were closed so she did not see him, but the smile on her face indicated that she knew she had an audience, and he knew she had a pretty good idea who her audience was. The song finished, the music ended, and she opened her eyes, grinning at him._

_"Like the show Mr. Kaiba?" she asked coyly. With a small chuckle, he walked towards her. She grabbed a small towel and wiped her forehead and neck._

_"Of course." He said, watching her gulp down water, his eyes lingering on the drops that ran trails down her chin, onto her neck, and disappeared into the valley between her breasts._

_"Well, I aim to please." She said, taking a small bow._

_"Then you should have no complaints doing this." The words had barely left his mouth and entered into her consciousness when he grabbed her and planted his lips upon her supple ones. She only gasped which gave him nice access to her sweetness which he so gentlemanly explored. When she finally regained some use of her senses, limited as they may be, she wrapped her hands around his neck, fingers burying into his soft locks that she secretly envied. Seto's hands roamed over her body, moving from the curve of her waist to the small of her back to her long, swan like neck to her silky strands. One hand pressed their faces closer while the other pushed their bodies in closer proximity. Only when air became an absolute necessity did they break contact, panting greedily to take in gulps of air. Tea swatted Seto on his shoulder lightly and said._

_"Warn me before you do that." He only smirked and placed a gentle kiss on her lips._

_"Better?" He asked in an amused tone and she playfully hit him again before resting her head on his chest._

_"When did you come?" Seto asked, fingers running through her hair._

_"Just an hour ago. Mokuba wanted me to help him with his math homework, so I only started practicing twenty minutes ago." Seto nodded his head._

_"Thanks." He said in gratitude. Silence fell, but it wasn't uncomfortable. After a few moments, Tea spoke._

_"Hey Seto, you had a boring day, right?" He hummed in agreement. "I know something fun for us to do."_

_"Oh really." Seto said, pushing their bodies apart so he could look her in the eye. "Do tell."_

_"No. I'm going to show you." Tea said mischievously and walked away from him. He watched her bend forward, as if to pick something up, but she quickly hid it behind her as she turned and walked towards him again._

_"What do you have in mind?" Seto asked curiously._

_"You'll find out soon enough. Just do as I say." Tea said. Seto sighed, signifying his defeat. She smiled brightly at him and stood in front of him._

_"Ok, now put your hand on my waist, like this." She said, taking his hand and placing it on her lower back. "And hold my hand with your other hand." She said, placing her small hand in his large one and lifting it higher. Recognizing the setup, Seto spoke._

_"You want me to dance with you?"_

_"Yes." Tea said excitedly._

_"Tea, no." Seto groaned. He had no qualms about watching her dance, but dancing with her would be no fun. It would provide him no entertainment and therefore he did not wish to waste his time on it._

_"Seto please." She said in a whining voice. "It'll be fun."_

_"No." Seto said, not deterring._

_"But I need to practice." Tea pouted. "I have this performance coming up where I have to dance with a partner, and I don't want to practice with some random guy, with his hands all over me." She said, eyeing Seto carefully. Just as she had expected, his eyebrows furrowed in distaste. It was only a matter of time and words now._

_"I guess I have no choice. I'll call someone from my dance class and tell him to meet me sometime so we can practice." Dramatically sighing, she turned and walked away. Behind her, she heard him groan in frustration._

_"Stop your snivelling and get over here." He said. Tea smiled brightly and ran back to him, adjusting their limbs in a position to waltz._

_"Trust me. This will be fun." Seto only rolled his eyes. Tea ignored him and revealed the hidden object in her hand to be the stereo remote, with which she turned music on. Soft, melodic orchestra music filled the room. Tea smiled at Seto and began leading, guiding him slowly. But she got a surprise when Seto suddenly took the lead, gliding across the floor along with her._

_"Wha… how do you…?" She was speechless. Seto smirked triumphantly._

_"Because I am Seto Kaiba. I am perfect in everything and every way." She glared at him and muttered something under her breath. She had been looking forward to teaching Seto, not having him be as good as her. She gasped in shock when he spun her elegantly and then led her into a dip, revelling in the look at her face._

_"You were right." He said causally. "This is fun." She stuck her tongue out at him in retaliation and Seto laughed. Tea laughed along with him and they continued dancing. Seto had to admit that dancing was fun, albeit a different kind of fun than watching her dance, but fun nonetheless. It did not arouse him as her dancing did, but gave him a feeling of satisfaction and joy he usually got after trampling upon a rival company or firing an incompetent employee. He pulled her body closer to his and continued dancing. After the song ended, they remained encased in each other's arms._

_"Now wasn't that fun?" Tea said, lifting her face from his chest._

_"There is no partner performance, is there?" Seto said, completely ignoring her previous question. She feigned innocence._

_"Of course there is. Do you think I lied to you, just to make you jealous so you would dance with me?"_

_"No. I knew you were lying to me. You are a horrible actress." She walked away to gather her stuff._

_"I got you to believe me, even if for a second, so that makes me a very good actress since it is very hard to fool you." He huffed in disagreement._

_"Keep telling yourself that." He said, grabbing her bag as they began walking out of the hall._

_"You can deny the truth all you want, but I won't. I had fun dancing with you. I wish we could do it again." She said, eyeing him. He didn't say anything for a while, but when Tea looked away, he spoke._

_"Fine. But I expect something in return."_

_"Is dancing with a beautiful, talented girl not reward enough?" Tea said and he smirked._

_"It would be if I could dance with her." He received a hit on his arm for that comment, and an angry yell of "Seto, you jerk." He just laughed as Tea made a face, and continued to chide him, praising herself all the while. Perhaps later, he would tell her that he really did enjoy dancing with her, and would dance with her any time she wanted._

End flashback

Tea did not reply. She was too busy panicking and hating herself for reacting in such a way to the proximity of their bodies. She didn't even notice when he leaned forward, his lips besides her ear and whispered, "I haven't danced with another woman since that day." Immediately, without her control, her eyes lifted and gazed into his and it was then that she knew she had come undone.

...

* * *

Thanks for reading.

Review and let me know what you think.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

...

She couldn't bear to look at those eyes. Even as she stared at their picture from that cursed night on the cover of a gossip magazine, she couldn't stand seeing those eyes. She could still feel the intensity of his gaze, could still feel herself getting lost in the swirl of unmentionable emotions, and it scared her. It scared her to no end. She wasn't much concerned about the gossip story as she was about the reactions she had received, and those she hadn't.

Joshua had been the first to snap, raising a storm at her careless actions, followed by Steven, who, in his own special way of carefully chosen caring words that somehow came out as caustic, gave her an earful. Stan came next with an hour long phone call that had her feeling worst than she could remember.

Flashback

_"What are you planning?" Stan's rage carried over the continent and into her ears. She flinched._

_"Look Stan, it wasn't supposed to-." She tried to explain but he was in no mood for her excuses._

_"You know how you are around him. You are well aware of your state of mind and emotions, so why would you make such a stupid move?" He growled. She felt her anger rise._

_"I am not as weak as-."_

_"Shut up. You can feed yourself that bullshit but don't even try with me." He snapped. "You think I don't see what is going on in that picture? You think I can't tell what is going on in your mind right now?" He challenged. She chose to stay quiet. Silence fell over them, in which only Stan's heavy breathing could be heard._

_"Tea." He finally said in a soft voice. "Times and times again I have told you to let it go. I know it is difficult, but you were making progress before you decided to come to Domino. And now, I feel like you are back to square one. You are back to being in a pained and conflicted state of mind."_

_"I am not conflicted." She said. Stan sighed._

_"So you are sure you know what is going on and what you need to do?" She hesitated before answering._

_"Yes. I do." Stan did not speak for a few seconds._

_"Fine. You are old enough and mature enough to make decisions for yourself. And only you know how you truly feel and how to finally put all this behind you. So I will not stop you from whatever you are planning. But know this Tea, every action is coupled with a reaction, equal in magnitude but opposite in direction. Make sure you are prepared for what will come your way."_

End flashback

And Valon. Oh God, Valon had been brutal.

Flashback

_"What the hell are you doing?" Valon yelled over the phone. "I knew there was something wrong with your mind when you decided to date Alistair, but this… this is just crazy."_

_"Valon, it's not what you think." She tried to explain._

_"I know that getting into some scandals is good for publicity, but this situation will bring you no benefit of any kind. This is Seto Kaiba you are dealing with. No matter what you do, you will lose."_

_"Valon-."_

_"And have you even considered how Alistair would feel about this?" Her heart stopped at his words and she felt tears sting her eyes. "You know damn well how he feels about Kaiba and still you go and do something like this?"_

_"Valon…" She said in a broken voice, but Valon ignored her pitiful voice._

_"I love you Tea, don't doubt that, but Alistair is my buddy. I will not stand for anyone hurting him or making a fool of him, not even you."_

_"I am not doing anything like that." She desperately tried to convince him. Valon let out a cold bark of a laugh._

_"But it sure seems like it. I am not blind or stupid. I saw the look in his eyes and yours too. You know what they say, a picture is worth a thousand words."_

_"It was a-."_

_"Misunderstanding? Planned publicity event?" Valon mocked. "Save that bullshit for the media. Don't belittle me." She had no answer._

_"Did you talk to Alistair yet?" Valona said in a calm voice. Tears fell from her eyes and she shook her head while making a choked sound. Valon sighed on the other line._

_"He is not going to call you if that is what you are waiting for." She quietly sobbed._

_"Tea, if you have an explanation for him, call him and let him know. I know how he is. He will not call you or say anything, but in his mind, a storm will be brewing, and I don't want you to be caught in it."_

End flashback

It had been two days since the incident and she still hadn't received a single call or a message from Alistair, nor had she mustered up the courage to give him a call. No matter what explanation she thought up, it seemed inadequate and false when she looked at it from Alistair's perspective. Stan hadn't called again, and Joshua and Steven were becoming more like their job title and less like her friends. Or perhaps it was only her who felt that way. The media was hounding her worse than they had ever, and the two were busy dealing with that, leaving her alone to wallow in her misery.

Surprisingly enough, she hadn't been contacted by Mokuba at all; no phone calls or visits. She wondered why that was so. Perhaps he was busy working on the other side to control the situation. But she never dwelled on it for long for it brought her attention to someone she did not want to think about at the moment. After all, _he_ was the one she placed all blame on.

The sound of footsteps climbing stairs brought her out of her thoughts and she turned her head towards the door just in time to see Joshua appear.

"Lunch's ready." He said and left.

"I am not hungry." She called out to his retreating figure but she wasn't sure if he had heard it or not. She waited and when no one came again to call her, she figured he had heard her and had decided to let her be. For some reason, this hurt her enormously and she had trouble containing her tears. Did they not understand that she hadn't meant for it to happen? Did they not know that she wasn't one to play with people's hearts like that? Did they not see how agonized she was that such a thing had happened? Did they not know how much she needed them at this time? Did they-.

"Here." She looked up to see Steven place a tray of food before her on the bed. "You need to eat." Tears freely streamed down her face and she let out a strangled sob. Steen's expression did not change as he moved to grab a tissue box and place it before her. Sniffling, she took one and wiped her eyes.

"The food is getting cold." He said again. She complied to his request and slowly began eating.

"I've spoken with Stan. He thinks it is better if you stay put for a while, until this situation boils over. God knows how long that will take, but at least until we come up with a solution." She nodded her head.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen." She said.

"I know." Steven said. "We are not angry at you for behaving the way you did, at least, not me. Personally, I knew something like this was going to happen sooner or later. I am just not so thrilled about the media hounding that I'm having to deal with. And quite frankly, it wasn't in the job description when I signed up for it." Tea managed a small smile.

"Fine print." Steven cracked a smile as well, watching her eat. Silence reined over them. Finally, when Tea was done. Steven spoke again.

"Did you call Alistair yet?" Tea looked away in guilt.

"This will only get worse if both of you act stubborn." He pointed out as he began collecting the dishes.

"I'm not being stubborn." Tea defended herself. "I'm just…"

"He deserves to know the truth from you." Steven said. "You need to call him and explain your actions. Whatever happens next is inevitable and can't be avoided no matter how much longer you wait." He stood up, ready to leave the room. "Remember this, the longer you wait, the more time he has to make assumptions of his own and the more time for those assumptions to turn into facts in his mind."

Tea sighed in defeat. She knew what Steven said was true. She would just have to be brave and face Alistair. Steeling herself, she reached for the phone and dialled his number.

* * *

"Are you going to deal with her any time soon because it's getting on my nerves." Mokuba said entering the office. Seto looked up from his laptop and regarded his agitated brother carefully. He knew very well who "her" was.

Serenity had caused a storm upon seeing their picture. Mai had joined in to add to the fire and…

Flashback

A magazine was thrown on his desk unceremoniously. He looked up to see an enraged Serenity, huffing and puffing, ready to blow his office apart.

"What is this?" She screamed. He lifted the magazine to gaze at the cover. Not surprisingly enough, a picture of him and Tea, with her slumped against him, greeted him. He sighed and placed it back.

"Well?" She pressed.

"It is nothing to be concerned over." He said, turning back to his work.

"NO." She yelled loudly. "I won't be placated with those words anymore. I have kept a calm attitude about what you and that bitch have been up to for far too long." Tears formed in her eyes and her voice lowered. "I kept pretending that it wasn't what it seemed like… but I can't… I can't do it anymore." Seto sighed at her pitiful state.

"Serenity…"

"Seto… you have never…" She struggled to speak between the sobs and tears. "You have never cared for me the way I have for you. You have always, ALWAYS, kept me at a distance, and I accepted it because I thought it was who you were. And I thought that in a few years, I would be able to make a place in your heart." She looked at him with eyes shining with sorrow and tears.

"Have I Seto? Do I have a place in your heart?" Seto just stared at her, his heart beating faster than it had ever in her presence. What answer could he give her? Did he even have an answer for her?

"Look…" He started, trying to find a diplomatic answer, but she collapsed on the floor before he could continue. Quickly getting up, he walked to where she was and saw her sobbing hysterically.

"You…. I… I wasted my… life… trying… and you…" Kneeling before her, Seto made an attempt to embrace her but she shrugged away.

"No. You… you don't care. All this time… I was nothing… nothing more than a body for you, wasn't I? And I… I loved you… I…" She abruptly got up and ran out of the room, leaving a very frustrated Seto behind. He slowly walked to his desk and sat down. He hadn't even looked at the documents he had been working on when the door slammed open and in came a furious Mai.

"Kaiba, how dare you do that to her?" She growled. Out went frustration and in came annoyance and anger.

"Stay the hell out of this Valentine." He snapped. "This is none of your business."

"Yes it is." Mai said. "She is my friend, like my little sister. You have no right to treat her the way you did, or the way you have for the past four years."

"I didn't do anything wrong." Seto defended himself.

"Stop lying." Mai snapped. "You have always been cold to her, and have taken advantage of her." Seto glared at her.

"She should have seen this coming considering the kind of man I am before she got involved with me."

"Stop putting all the blame on her." Mai yelled in frustration. "It wasn't her decision alone that got you to this point. It was yours. You were the one to approach her, and then you made the decision to chose her. It was you all along. You are the one to blame. Yet you have always blamed her for your decision." Seto's eyes widened a fraction at her words, but he recovered immediately.

"She had four years to figure me out and leave me if she wanted. I didn't hold her by force."

"She loves you." Mai screamed. "Can't you see that? She has loved you since the first kiss you two shared and hasn't stopped since. She didn't leave because she cared for you. She stayed because she didn't want to leave you alone. She stayed because-."

"Because you manipulated her into it." Seto interrupted her, pinning her down with his glare. "She stayed because you needed her to take advantage of my position and money, which you successfully did. Aren't you going to say that Valentine?" He mocked. "For all I know, her feelings might just be a product of your manipulation." Mai seemed speechless for a few moments, her mouth open. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke.

"Serenity stayed because she had hope for a future she wanted with you… a hope that perhaps she still clings to, however desperately it may be. And if you have an ounce of decency Kaiba, you should tell her the truth. Don't string her along any more than you already have. She doesn't deserve it." With that, Mai left.

Seto scowled at the door long after she had gone, her words swirling in his head. How dare Valentine assume she knew anything of their relationship, or about him at all? She was just threatened that her financial support might be cut off if Seto and Serenity were to break up. After all, he was the chief financier of her pathetic clothing line.

But she had spoken some truth, much to Seto's chagrin. He _had_ placed all blame for their union on Serenity, which was unfair, as pointed out, since he was the one who had made the decision to choose her over Tea.

There was no doubt in Seto's mind that Serenity had stayed with him out of her own free will, out of whatever feelings of love she had developed for him. Valentine had been right in saying that Serenity had fallen in love with him since their first kiss. And since that day, she had devoted herself to him, doing everything in her power to gain his love. She had been there for him, through thick and thin, even when he made every effort to push her away. She had stood by his every decision, every action, no matter how cruel or unreasonable it was. He knew she would fight her brother if he asked her to because her loyalty lied with him.

Serenity was devoted to him, despite everything he had done to cause otherwise. And he had always returned her warmth with a cold attitude, treating her worse than he treated his lowliest employees. He had always verbally tortured her and mocked her. He had used her for his own reasons over the course of time, taking advantage of her body and feelings.

No wonder life was such a bitch to him.

"Well?" Mokuba repeated.

"I'll deal with her." Seto assured him and Mokuba grunted before leaving his office.

Sighing, he got up and walked towards their bedroom where he knew Serenity would be bawling her eyes out. He could already picture it in his mind. He opened the door to find the scene exactly as he had expected. Serenity was sitting on the bed, crying loudly, while Mai sat beside her, holding the girl and whispering comforting words to her. Their heads turned to look at him upon his entrance, resulting in fresh cries from Serenity and a dirty look from Mai.

"What are you-." Mai began in a venomous tone but Seto cut her off before she could spurt some nonsense.

"Get out Valentine. I don't want to waste my time or breath on you." She huffed in anger and was ready with a retort when Seto beat her to it… again.

"I don't want to repeat myself. Get out of my sight within the next 30 seconds or I'll have security escort you off my property." Mai's mouth opened in shock.

"The clock is ticking." Seto said testily. Mai shot him the meanest glare she was capable of before whispering something in Serenity's ear and walking out, slamming the door hard on her way out. Seto ignored her tantrum and stared at a sniffling Serenity. Letting out an internal sigh, he approached her and sat on the bed before her, but didn't speak. Uncomfortable silence reigned supreme. Finally, Serenity broke it.

"Why are you here?" She said, not looking up at him.

"I… I came to apologize." He said. Her head snapped up to stare at his face, eyes wide as dinner plates.

"Wh… what?" She muttered.

"I'm sorry… for all I've done." He said.

"I… I don't understand." She said, clearly confused. Swallowing his pride, he spoke.

"Over the past few years… I haven't treated you as you deserved to be treated. I have always viewed you as a fixture in my life, someone who will always be there no matter what I do. In assuming so, I have taken advantage of your loyalty and your feelings, and I'm sorry for that."

"Oh Seto…" Serenity wailed loudly before throwing herself at him, sobbing in his chest. He wrapped an arm around her and brought her shaking form close.

"You have always been there for me, whether I wanted you or not. And I am grateful for that. You are one of the very few that I trust, and I know I don't show it or say it, but I do appreciate your presence in my life Serenity. You have given me support during tough times, even if I didn't realize it then." He took a deep breath, rubbing her back soothingly before speaking again.

"If there is one thing I respect, its loyalty, and you have been more loyal to me at times than my own brother. I'm sorry for everything I have done and for the way I treated you. I will try not to do the same in the future. You deserve better and I plan to give it to you."

"I love you Seto." Serenity sobbed in his chest. "I love you so much. I love you." He kissed the top of her head.

"I think it's time I confronted Te… Gardner and ended this." He said with a determined voice.

* * *

Tea walked through the halls of Domino General Hospital, donning big sunglasses and an even bigger hat, all part of the disguise to reach her destination undetected. Barely thirty minutes ago, had she received a call from Tristan informing her of Nina's labour. Having promised Nina already to be there at her delivery, Tea now walked towards the room Tristan had informed her to come to. As she read the numbers at the doors and reached closer and closer, her heart raced faster and faster in excitement. Perhaps it was because Nina was a friend and she felt happy for both parents. Or perhaps it was because this was the first birth she would see.

Hurrying along the corridor to reach the room Nina was in, she knocked gently, and took off her ridiculously large glasses. After a few moments, the door opened to reveal a smiling Tristan. His smile didn't waver as he saw Tea. Instead, he just motioned her inside the room. She followed and soon saw a sleeping Nina, looking much thinner than she last remembered. She shot a questioning look at Tristan who nodded towards the other side of the bed, where a crib was placed. Excitement coursed through her body again and she eagerly walked in the direction to see a small child, wrapped carefully in fluffy blankets, sleeping peacefully. She could not stop the gasp of wonder that left her lips.

"My daughter." Tristan said from beside her, his finger tracing the infants cheek lovingly.

"Congratulations." Tea said honestly. He smiled.

"It just happened so suddenly. Her water broke and the next think I knew, we were rushing through the hospital screaming for a doctor. Thankfully, the delivery didn't take long. The nurse said it was as painless as it could be, and then… she handed me… my daughter… and just like that… I was a father." Tea watched Tristan with a soft gaze. She could barely imagine how happy he was.

"Have you named her?" She asked and Tristan shook his head.

"No. Nina fell asleep right after feeding her so we never got around to it. We have discussed some names… but-." He was cut off by a slight moan from behind them. They turned to see Nina shift slightly on the bed. Tristan rushed to her side and held her hand.

"Nina, love, are you awake?" He asked gently. Nina moaned again before slowly blinking her eyes open. Her gaze settled on Tristan and she smiled blearily.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. She smiled widely in reply and snuggled into his touch. He leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"You have a visitor." He informed her. Lazily, Nina turned her head and smiled upon discovering Tea.

"Hi." She said.

"Congratulations." Tea said. "Your daughter is very beautiful." Nina smiled wider.

"Thanks. I'm glad you came. It means a lot to me." Tea smiled back.

"Tristan was just telling me that you haven't picked a name yet."

"Yes. We are still trying to decide. It would have been easier if we knew the gender of the baby but we chose not to know. So now, we are having some difficulty choosing a name. It is our first child, so we want the name to be special."

"Seraphina." Tea suddenly said. Tristan and Nina stared at her. She blushed under their gaze.

"Sorry. The name just popped in my head and I blurted it out. Anyway, what were you saying?" Tea said. Nina exchanged a look with Tristan and spoke.

"Hmmm…. Seraphina Taylor. Sounds nice."

"No, no." Tea hastily said. "I just… the name just…don't think about it. I don't know why I said it or why it even occurred to me because I don't even know any Seraphina, or someone with a name remotely close to it. I didn't say it so-."

"It does sound nice." Tristan said, cutting Tea's rant off.

"Tristan… Nina… I…" Tea didn't know what to say. Nina shot her a small smile.

"Ihink of it as a gift to our daughter. You did say you'd get her a gift, and what better gift than a beautiful name?" Tea felt her heart swell with joy and emotion. She stepped forward and took Nina's hand, squeezing it in gratitude.

"Thank you so much for this… honor. I don't know how to…"

"It's not a problem." Nina said, stifling a yawn. "It's actually an honor for us. Maybe in the future I can tell my grandkids that my daughter was named by the famous Tea Gardner." Tea let out a small laugh at Nina's comment.

"Go back to sleep Nina. I'll take care of Seraphina." Tristan whispered to her as her eyes closed and before long, she was taking deep breaths of sleep. Tristan motioned for Tea to follow him and they walked out of the room.

"Congratulations again." Tea said when he closed the door behind him. She hesitated before speaking. "Did… did no one else came to see Seraphina or Nina?" Tristan looked away.

"I called my parents and Nina's parents after I called you. They should be arriving in a few days. As for friends, I haven't told anyone except Yugi."

"Is he… here?" She asked hesitantly. Tristan nodded.

"He left for the cafeteria before you came. He said he needed to get a coffee and that you probably wouldn't want him near you anyway." Tea looked away as guilt seeped into her mind. "He still has to see Seraphina so I'm sure he is still there." For some reason, Tea felt as if the last part was added on purpose, and she had an idea what that purpose was.

"Well, I should get going then." She said. "Take care of Nina and Seraphina. I'll come visit them again later." With that, she turned and quickly began walking away. Only when she heard the click of a door closing did she slow down and change course.

Soon, she was standing in a small open area where aromas of coffee and baked goods pleased her nostrils. Her searching eyes soon spotted a tri-colored head sitting with his back to her. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards him, determination overcoming any other emotion she was feeling at the moment. Stopping just a few steps away, she tentatively called out.

"Yu… Yugi?" He turned his head and then dropped his coffee. The barely hot liquid spilled all over the table. Yugi tore his gaze away from Tea and hastily began wiping the substance off with the napkins he had. He froze when another hand joined his efforts. With wide eyes, he watched as Tea helped him clean. When done, she gathered the dirty napkins and threw them in the garbage before walking towards him and standing before him again. No one spoke for a while.

"Thanks." Yugi finally managed to say.

"It's not a big deal." Tea said. "I… I came to talk." Yugi sighed and took a seat. She sat opposite him and stared at him.

"Look Tea, I'm really sorry for-." He began but she cut him off.

"Don't apologize, please." She said. "Actually, I'm the one who should apologize." Yugi's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"What are you saying? You shouldn't-."

"Please let me finish." Tea interrupted him again. He obeyed and just watched her intently. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"I was wrong and unfair in my judgement and treatment of you. You helped me immeasurably in the past. On more than a few occasions, you risked your own safety to ensure mine. I am indebted to you for all that, and therefore I have no right to be angry at you. I believe your past actions atone for where I think you wronged me. So… so I want you to know that… I don't hate you or dislike you… or feel anything negative about you." She said in a tone that was too formal for friends and Yugi didn't fail to notice that.

"Then how do you feel about me?" He asked quietly. "Or do you not feel anything at all?" Her heart thumped violently as she stared into his pained eyes.

"I feel that… maybe… we can… start over. We can try to be civil and… maybe become friends." She looked at her folded hands. Yugi reached over and gently grasped her hands in a comforting grip.

"I'd like that a lot." She looked up and met his warm comforting gaze and knew she had made the right decision.

"If you don't mind, can I ask what changed your mind?" Yugi asked after a few moments of silence. Tea sighed tiredly and looked at the few other occupants of the cafeteria, watching them smile and talk to each other. Her mind drifted to Nina and she replied.

"I miss having friends."

...

* * *

Thanks for reading.

Don't forget to review to give me your input.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Flashback/Dream_

* * *

...

"How did you get my number?" Tea demanded as soon as she got over the initial shock of hearing his voice. This would make it the second time he had called her, and it just didn't sit well with her that he could access her anytime he wanted. She hadn't asked Mokuba if he had given him her number because she knew Mokuba hadn't. Did he take it without Mokuba's knowledge then?

"I didn't go through Mokuba's contact list to get it, if you are thinking that. I don't intrude on my brother's privacy." Seto smoothly answered her suspicions.

"Of course you don't. You just disregard everyone else's." She said with a roll of her eyes. Seto actually chuckled on the other line.

"What do you want? Why are you calling me?" Tea said in a no-nonsense tone. Seto sighed before speaking.

"We need to talk about the situation we are in."

"_We_ don't need to do anything." Tea said, knowing well which situation he was referring to. "It'll blow over soon enough."

"No it won't." Seto growled. "Not soon enough for my liking."

"So I'm just supposed to throw everything away for your liking?" Tea challenged, venom seeping into her words.

"That is not what I meant." Seto tried to make peace. "Neither you or I are the kind to bask in attention, and the amount we both seem to be getting from this scandal is way above the threshold. I want to deal with it in a swift and efficient manner, for both our sakes." Seto explained.

"My people are dealing with it the best way we see fit but thanks for your concern and generous offer to help. I humbly decline." She said before hanging up. Not a few seconds had passed that her phone rang again. She glared at it, hoping her displeasure would reach the one who was calling her, but both the device and the person stubbornly disregarded it. The phone kept ringing and she kept ignoring it, instead getting up to use the bathroom. When she came out, the phone was still ringing. She glared at the caller ID and huffed in annoyance, stepping out of the room to go downstairs. She found Joshua flipping through channels and Steven on his laptop, nothing out of the ordinary. She decided to ignore them too and moved to the kitchen, making herself a small snack. Joshua came soon after, nose up in the air like a hound sniffing for blood. His eyes fell on the sandwich she had made and his grin widened.

"No." Tea said, moving the sandwich protectively behind her. But it appeared that everyone was bent on ignoring her wishes today. So keeping up the theme of the day, Joshua stepped forward, his hand positioned in a manner threatening to her sandwich.

"Joshua, no." Tea let out a small scream and securely held the sandwich as she began running towards the living room. She dodged him around the kitchen island and raced for her expected saviour a.k.a. Steven who didn't even glance up from what he was doing.

"I just want a bite." Joshua said as he approached Tea who was now standing behind Steven, using him as a shield.

"You always say that and end up eating all of it. Plus, your one bite is the end of half of my sandwich." Tea said as she evaded an attack by Joshua on her sandwich.

"You're exaggerating." Joshua said as he made another attempt to swipe at her food. But Tea danced around Steven, dodging him. They continued to bicker, moving around the sitting male until his patience snapped and he stood up.

"ENOUGH." He yelled, losing control. He glared at each of them individually, beginning with Joshua.

"I'm hungry." Joshua whined, a pout present on his face. Steven stared at him a bit longer but it appeared that Joshua had finished presenting his solid argument. With a sigh, he turned to Tea who held on to her sandwich as if Steven was a threat now.

"I am not giving him my sandwich." She said stubbornly. "I made this with my own two hands, toiling away in the kitchen in blistering heat. It carries my blood, sweat, and tears, and hours and hours of effort. I'd rather die than see the fruit of my labour go to a lazy glutton who thinks he has a the right to just walk in and take whatever he wants from me just because he is a male and is superior to me. I will not let such injustice happen. Though I stand alone, I will still fight against such sexual discrimination in this male dominated society." She finished dramatically. Joshua's mouth was hanging open at the end of her speech and Steven' glare had evaporated to reveal an expressionless face.

"What the hell?" Joshua finally yelled. "First of all, I am NOT a glutton and I do not take whatever I want. Evidence is the fact that you didn't let me buy a night with that sexy hooker in Moscow. Secondly, what blistering heat are you talking about? We have air conditioning so you didn't have to "toil" away. And if your sandwich has a single drop of blood, sweat, or tears, then I don't want it. And finally, don't even start about the male domination crap, because I get bossed around by you all the time. If anything, I should complain about female dictatorship in this house that doesn't allow a hard working man to have a bite of food. That is the _real_ injustice." Before Tea could reply, Steven held up his hand to silence them both.

"Tea, I agree with Joshua." Tea's mouth fell open. Of all the people, she thought Steven would be the last one to agree with Joshua on anything. "There is no male domination here so don't try to use that to earn any sympathy. And no more talk of blood or sweat regarding edible items." Tea smiled sheepishly at his comments. He then turned to Joshua who had a triumphant smirk on his face.

"Tea is right. You are a lazy glutton. Make your own food if you are so hungry instead of causing so much chaos." Joshua glared at the other two before marching off to the kitchen, mumbling continuously about how hard it was to live with an actress and that every situation just had to turn into a soap opera. Tea smiled happily and finally munched on her partially squished, but battle-survived sandwich. Steven let out a long sigh and sat down once again, mumbling about the loss of his precious brain cells and sanity on two idiots, and about possibly looking for a new, less stressful job.

After her brilliant performance and voluntary help given to Joshua, Tea walked back upstairs. But as soon as she opened the door, the shrill sound of her phone ringing reached her ears. The damn device was still ringing. With a fresh glare and a frown, she reached for it and swore when she saw the caller ID. He was still calling. And by the looks if it, he hadn't stopped. Her phone showed 43 missed calls for the time she was gone. With a frustrated grunt, she picked it up.

"This is harassment." She said through gritted teeth. "I can sue you for this."

"Threats don't seem so scary coming out of your pretty mouth." She could practically see the smirk on his face. Her hand curled into a fist that would have planted on his face had he been before her.

"Look, I already told you I am not interested in your charitable offer." She said, hoping he would understand. But then again, he wouldn't be Seto Kaiba if he understood someone's else's position.

"This isn't just about you or me." He said in an irritated tone. "This matter is affecting other people in our lives and just adding to the amount of stress we face. And I, for one, will not stand idle when I can do something to end this." She knew he had a valid point there. This matter had caused her more stress than any other recent event. Hell, she still wasn't sure if Alistair was completely okay with her explanation. When she had talked to him, he hadn't said much. Perhaps what Kaiba had to say could be of some help.

"Fine. What do you have in mind?"

* * *

Yugi opened the door and greeted Tristan who fell on a couch as soon as he saw one. Yugi smiled at his tired friend.

"Need something to drink?" He asked, watching Tristan.

"No. Just sleep. A little bit of sleep." Tristan said with a tired smile and Yugi laughed.

"You seem unusually tired. What's wrong?" Yugi asked.

"Seraphina is a fussy baby." Tristan said with a sigh. "Nina and I try all we can to please her, but I think that has spoiled her." Yugi laughed at his friend's words.

"I don't think you can spoil a baby that young." Tristan shook his head.

"Yugi, she doesn't go to anyone else but us. She likes, no, _demands_ to be held at all times. If we ever try to put her down, she begins crying. She only sleeps with I have her against my chest. But when I try to put her in her crib, she wakes up and begins crying." Yugi shot his friend a sympathetic look.

"This just means that she loves you a lot." Tristan smiled softly in agreement.

"How is Nina doing?"

"Oh, she is fine. I try not to let her do much since she is still a bit weak. But you know Nina. She always finds something. Plus, I think she feels guilty for putting Seraphina's responsibility on me."

"Well, it's only a matter of days, right? Once Nina fully recovers, she can take care of Seraphina and you can go back to being the stereotypical father." Yugi said with a smirk and Tristan chuckled.

"By the way, thanks for the cleaning lady recommendation. She has been a big help." Tristan said gratefully.

"No problem." Yugi replied. Both fell silent. Tristan closed his eyes. Finally, Yugi spoke again. "How is your business doing?"

"It's good." Tristan replied without opening his eyes. "Ever since Tea came and bought a car from me, business has been improving." More silence. "How… how is Joey doing?" Yugi sighed.

"The opposite of you." Yugi replied. "He refuses to accept his mistake or the direness of the situation. I told him that he only needs to pretend, but he refuses to do even that. I just don't know how to help him."

"How does he feel about me?" Tristan asked the dreaded question. Ever since they had split their assets, they hadn't talked to each other. Of course, one reason was Joey's vocal threat and promise to never speak to Tristan again.

"He is angry." Yugi said. "He still says you sold out and betrayed your friendship." Tristan sighed. That was expected. More silence.

"Did you talk to Tea?" Tristan asked. Yugi looked away and shook his head.

"I… I don't know what I would say if I did talk to her." He said. "I feel too ashamed and guilty."

"She said she wants to make an attempt to be friends with you. She took the first step, a big step. You have to respond as well." Tristan said. Yugi looked guilty. "Yugi, among all of us, you have suffered the most from her absence and her recent attitude. You _need_ to talk to her and start anew." Yugi nodded his head.

"I'll… I'll try. It's just that I know things will never go back to the way they were before, and I would never get my best friend back. But it's better than not having her as a friend at all I guess." Tristan shot his friend a small smile before closing his eyes again.

"Did you see her?" It was Yugi's turn to ask. Tristan nodded his head briefly.

"Yeah. She came to see Nina and Seraphina, but didn't stay for long. She said she was on a tight leash since the magazine picture scandal." Yugi didn't reply. Tristan opened his eyes and watched his friend as he spoke. "That picture sure was something, don't you think? I never knew Kaiba could emit so much emotion. It kind of destroys my theory of him being an android." Yugi's eyes saddened.

"I knew. I have seen that look in his eyes before."

Flashback

_Yugi laughed as Joey did a cannonball in Kaiba's pool, splashing water at almost everyone present, including a now fuming Kaiba. Tea had somehow managed to convince Seto Kaiba to have a pool party at his mansion and invite all of her friends. So at the moment, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Duke, Mai, and Serenity were all present inside the Kaiba mansion, much to Seto's distaste, and he hadn't made any attempt to hide it, shooting insults whenever presented the opportunity. No one was showing any resistance to his abuse, except Tea, who was trying to be the peacekeeper, and Mokuba, who was happy to have company over._

_"Wheeler, do one more cannonball and I will drown you in the water you seem to love you so much." Kaiba threatened, wiping the dripping water from his face. But Joey only laughed and began climbing the ladder for another one. Kaiba took a menacing step forward and Joey sped up. Yugi laughed loudly as Kaiba literally ran towards Joey who was now standing on the board, ready to jump. The atmosphere was filled with various chants and shouts, some supporting Kaiba and others cheering on Joey, who was just about to jump when Kaiba caught up with him, pushing him roughly in the water. Joey made an unintelligible noise and fell ungracefully in the water, flailing his arms wildly._

_"Kaiba you jerk." Joey yelled as soon as his head appeared above water. "You could have killed me." Kaiba, who now stood triumphantly at the top of the diving board, smirked._

_"If only it was that easy Wheeler." And without a warning, he jumped in the water, tucking in his legs, causing a huge splash of water. Joey, who was nearest to where Kaiba fell, felt the brunt of it and was knocked a few feet away by the strong waves, his head disappearing under water once again. By the time he emerged, Kaiba was climbing out of the pool._

_"You hypocrite. You said no more cannonballs." Joey yelled, coughing out water. Kaiba smirked._

_"I said no more cannonballs from you Wheeler." Joey continued to yell curses and swears but Kaiba just ignored him and walked inside his mansion. Yugi turned to a laughing Tea._

_"Where is he going?" He asked._

_"Probably to dry off. He doesn't like to be very wet." She replied with a cheeky smile and then leaned in to whisper. "Don't tell anyone I told you that. It's probably a secret… probably." She smiled again before turning her attention to Mokuba who was sitting on Tristan's shoulders and using a water gun to hit Duke and Joey._

_"Careful Mokuba. Don't fall back." She said in a motherly tone. The kid shot her a dazzling smile and tightened his legs around Tristan's throat whose face began turning a suspicious purple._

_"It's fine." A voice behind them said. They turned to see a partially dry Kaiba. "If he falls over, I'll have an excuse to kick the geeks out." Kaiba said with a smirk and took a seat beside Tea._

_"Seto, stop being so mean." Tea said. "You promised you would try to be nice." Seto shrugged his shoulders and stared at the gang play in the pool._

_"I only have so much patience." Tea sighed. "Besides, I haven't said anything to your best friend Yugi yet." Maybe he was imagining it, but Yugi felt jealousy in Kaiba's voice._

_"That's because Yugi is too nice. It's impossible to be mean to him." Tea said, winking at Yugi who blushed in embarrassment. Kaiba frowned._

_"Oh I'm sure." He said sarcastically. "Why doesn't your best friend go in the water and join the rest of his friends?" Yugi looked at the water and then got up._

_"Kaiba is right. Want to come Tea?" He asked, ignoring Kaiba's glare. Tea eagerly nodded and turned to her boyfriend._

_"Come on Seto." He shook his head. "Suit yourself." She said before playfully pushing Yugi in the pool and jumping in after him. Both quickly began a game of chase with Yugi chasing Tea. Their game soon expanded and everyone joined in, turning it into a game of water tag._

_"Seto… Seto, come on in. This is fun." Mokuba yelled and turned to where his brother was previously sitting only to find the spot empty. He turned to Tea with questioning eyes._

_"I don't know where he is. He was here a few minutes ago." She said, glancing at the door that led inside the mansion._

_"Who cares if grumpy pants isn't here." Joey said. "He would have sucked the fun out of the game anyway."_

_"You are just saying that because you know my brother would have beaten you." Mokuba defended his older brother. Joey had the nerve to snort in disbelief._

_"I'm going to go see where he is. I just hope he is not in his office trying to sneak in some work on his day off." Tea said, getting out of the pool._

_"I'll help you." Yugi said, following her. "Besides, I have a feeling Joey is gunning for me in the next round and I want to escape without bruises." Tea shot him a grateful smile and they both quickly dried themselves before entering the mansion and splitting to search effectively. Yugi looked around, hoping he could find Kaiba soon and return to the game. Even if Kaiba didn't want to join in, at least Tea would be satisfied and she would play, and that was what Yugi wanted._

_Every since Tea had started dating Kaiba, Yugi had begun to see less and less of her. He understood that Kaiba was now a part of her life and she needed to spend time with him, but all of her time was devoted to Kaiba, and he and the rest of her friends felt neglected. Surely Kaiba couldn't have garnered so much importance in such a short amount of time that Tea had forgotten her friends for him. Yugi refused to believe that. But it had been only two weeks since she had started dating Kaiba, and this was the first time in those two weeks he had spent more than fifteen minutes with her. The rest of her time or more precisely the rest of her day was devoted to Kaiba. And try as he might, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. The spot that Kaiba had in Tea's life now, that had once belonged to him. Tea once used to spend all her time at the Game Shop, talking to him and helping him. Now, he was lucky to see her once a day._

_Sometimes, he didn't see what Tea saw in Kaiba. Sure Kaiba had some good qualities, but the man was a cold hearted, cold-blooded machine. It was hard to imagine him as someone who was gentle and affectionate, let alone a romantic. And Tea wasn't the kind to be with someone who was rude and cold. Then how did the two end up together?_

_Lost in these thoughts, Yugi kept on walking, half-heartedly searching for the lost Kaiba when he heard voices. He didn't know why, but he quickly hid in a corner, a spot where he could see inside the next room._

_"Seto…" He heard Tea sigh and he leaned forward to get a better look. Inside the room, Kaiba was sitting with his laptop in his lap, and Tea stood a few feet away, shaking her head in disapproval._

_"You are done early. Don't tell me the midget bored you so quickly." Kaiba's caustic words hurt him, but Yugi was sure he felt an ounce of jealousy in them._

_"Don't call him that." At least Tea was defending him. "And I came to look for you. Seto, you're supposed to be having fun on your day off, not spend it cooped up inside before a computer."_

_"I took the day off to spend with you, not with the nerd herd." Kaiba said, turning back to his glowing laptop screen. Tea walked towards him and grabbed it out of his hands, placing it on the table. Yugi saw the annoyed look in Kaiba's eyes and knew an insult was coming._

_"That nerd herd consists of my friends who I haven't seen in two weeks. I want to spend time with them."_

_"Then go ahead. Don't let me stop you." Kaiba sneered, reaching again for his laptop but Tea stood in his way. Kaiba sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Tea, what do you want?"_

_"I want you to come outside and have fun."_

_"My definition of fun does not involve your friends."_

_"They can be your friends too if you would let them."_

_"They are pathetic geeks and I don't want any kind of association with them."_

_"That's what you thought about me too before we started dating, and look where we are now." Kaiba smirked and grabbed Tea's waist, pulling her forward._

_"Trust me, I never saw you as one of them. And you have recently changed every negative view I had of you." There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, one Yugi never expected to ever see._

_"I'm sure my friends would do the same if you gave them a chance." Kaiba sighed in a tired manner._

_"Look Tea, you asked me to let them in the mansion, and I did because you wanted to spend time with them. So go on and do it. I never wanted them here in the first place and I don't want anything to do with them now that they are here. Besides, they are here for you, so let's not spoil their or your fun by getting me involved." Tea sighed._

_"Seto, I wanted to spend time with them and you. But if you refuse to cooperate, them I'm stuck choosing between you two again, and I don't want to choose.." Kaiba gently pulled her into his lap and soothingly ran his fingers through her hair._

_"No one is asking you to choose." He assured her, kissing the top of her head. So this was the gentle side of Kaiba no one saw._

_"Yes you are." Tea said. "It is an either/or situation. I can either spend time with you or with them, but not with both at once. Seto, I want to spend time with you. I want to be with you all the time, but I then I feel like I'm ignoring them. Do you know this is the first time I have seen them properly in two weeks since we started dating?" She lifted her face from his chest to stare at him. Seto held her gaze for a few seconds before shaking his head to signify a no. She sighed and fell in his embrace again. From his spot, Yugi could see the pain and guilt on Tea's face, and he too felt guilty. He felt like he should have been more understanding of Tea's situation. This was her first relationship, and it was with a very difficult man. She was trying her hardest to make it work. She needed the support of her friends, not criticisms and complaints._

_"I don't know what to do." Tea said. Kaiba continued to stroke her hair in a caring manner. The silence was comfortable for the two lovers, but for Yugi, it wasn't. He wondered if he should stay to see what Tea or Kaiba would say next, or leave them to their privacy._

_"Move in with me." Kaiba's words shocked Yugi more then they probably shocked Tea. She lifted her head and stared wide eyed at her boyfriend whose face was as serious as Yugi had ever seen it._

_"Wh… what?" Tea stuttered. Kaiba actually smirked before repeating his words. Tea seemed to be at a loss._

_"But… but… it's… I mean…" Yugi could detect the blush on her face from that far off and could only imagine how intensely she must be blushing._

_"What's the problem in that?' Kaiba said very casually. Yugi's mind immediately supplied many reasons but he knew it was all up to Tea to voice any._

_"But Seto… we… isn't it too early?" She stuttered, still blushing like a tomato. "We have only been dating or two weeks. Most couples don't take that step till very late into the relationship."_

_"We are not like most couples." Seto said. "Couples take that step when they feel they are ready, when they feel like they know the other person well enough. And I feel that we are ready." His voice was solid and unwavering as he spoke, in contrast to Tea's which had been shaking. Yugi turned to look at Tea and found her actually contemplating what Kaiba had said._

_"But Seto… just two weeks." She repeated. Kaiba leaned forward so he was a few inches from her face._

_"It's not just two weeks." He whispered gently. "You have known me for over two years. And I always felt that despite my mask, you could see the real me. You know the kind of person I am, just as I know the kind that you are. We know more about each other than other couples know years into their relationship. We have been through situations and challenges most other couples don't go through their entire lives. We are much further than you believe." A smile appeared on Tea's lips. She lifted her hand to lovingly cup Kaiba's cheek._

_"Yes. You are right." Kaiba smiled and placed a sweet kiss on her lips._

_"This will solve your problem and mine." She shot him a confused look, mirroring the one Yugi had on his face as he continued to watch the two._

_"Well, you can spend time with your friends and I won't complain because I would have you all night." From his spot, Yugi choked on his own spit, Tea doing the same before him. The room filled with Kaiba's rich laugh._

_"Relax." He said to a burning, blushing Tea. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean that you would be under my roof at night, so technically, you would be with me. Of course you would have your own room but still, you would be in the mansion. That way, you won't feel bad about not spending any time with me or your friends. It'll take one worry out of my life too."_

_"What worry?" Tea inquired. Kaiba locked eyes with her and spoke._

_"Worry about you. You live alone in an apartment. I know you have been living there for a long time now, but still, you are alone. If something was to happen, you would have no one to help you, and that troubles me greatly. With you staying in the mansion, I would know that you are safe at all times and that no one would be able to hurt you." Yugi unconsciously took a step back from the intensity of emotions reflected in Kaiba's eyes. The sincerity and devotion in his words had Yugi wondering if it was actually Kaiba he was looking at because at that moment, Kaiba looked far from cold._

_"I want to protect you from all that I can, and I want to try to protect you from what I can't. You and Mokuba are all that I care about, and I would go to the ends for you two." And Yugi didn't doubt it one bit._

_"Oh Seto." Tea said throwing her arms around Kaiba and kissing him fully on the lips. Kaiba's hands snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. Yugi blushed and turned away. This really wasn't something he should see. He had already seen too much._

_"Thanks Seto." He heard Tea say._

_"You'll have a lot of thanking to do once the day is over." Kaiba said and Yugi heard the sound of the chair creaking. Curiosity got the best of him and he turned back to his previous spot to see what was happening. Kaiba had stood up._

_"Come on. Let's go and spend time with your annoying friends." He said, holding his hand out for Tea to take. She seemed to be in shock._

_"You're serious?" She said._

_"Yes." He said. "I feel that I should be out there to make sure no harm is done to my property. And if I can get a hit on Wheeler under the pretence of a silly game, that's all the better for my liking." Tea giggled and placed her hand in his, following him outside the room. Yugi shuffled quickly to leave. He really had seen too much, but at least now he knew what Tea saw in Kaiba. The man may not know it, but he was deeply in love._

End flashback

"I never knew that happened. You never told any of us." Tristan said as Yugi finished telling Tristan. Yugi shot him a small smile.

"I was too ashamed of myself for spying that I swore never to tell anyone. Besides, it didn't seem important at that time. Tea and Kaiba were happy and in love, and they didn't seem to care if anyone else agreed with them or not."

"But Yugi, if you knew Kaiba loved Tea, why did you…" Tristan let the sentence hang there, watching the look of guilt cross Yugi's face.

"Just like you Tristan, I had my own agenda."

* * *

"Hmm… this is very odd indeed." Stan's face supported a frown. Tea stared at the computer screen where Stan's and Alistair's faces were present. She was speaking to both of them via webcam and had just informed them of her conversation with Seto. Stan had listened carefully and had showed interest throughout, but Alistair's face had remained expressionless since the moment she had mentioned Seto's name.

"Kaiba is not one to offer any help. Hell, he is known to cause problems, not help solve them." Stan said.

"Yes. His offer is so out of character for him that I know something else is involved. He has to have another motive." Tea said. Stan nodded his head in agreement.

"Of course he had other motive. That man only thinks of himself. Why did he say he wanted to help?"

"He said that the situation was affecting people we cared about and it was causing them and us a lot of stress." Tea said.

"I suppose he means your significant others." Stan said and Tea nodded.

"That is complete bullshit coming from him because I know that he doesn't care about Serenity. I have seen it with my own eyes, and Mokuba and Reina confirmed it. And there is no doubt he doesn't wish Alistair and I well. He is more likely to try and sabotage our relationship then offer to mend it." Tea said and watched for any signs of emotion on Alistair's face, but was disappointed to find none. He remained a close book.

"That is true." Stan said. "What did he suggest?"

"He said that we should have dinner together to show that we are friends and that there is no animosity between us." Tea said, carefully darting her eyes between the two faces on screen before her. "He said that he would have Serenity as his date, and I can bring someone with me, so it'll be like a double date. He says this will show that Serenity, Seto, and I are okay with each other, and put an end to one part of the gossip story." Stan nodded his head.

"That is a good idea actually." He said. "And it would benefit him and his girlfriend greatly. It would show that there is no bad blood between you which would salvage his girlfriend's reputation. And I bet it would also get her off his case. And we can't refuse either or it'll look bad on our part. Based on what you told me, he really wants to do this. For all we know, he might inform the media of our refusal and turn the heat on us if we don't comply to his demands."

"So what should I do? I told him I would answer him after I thought about it." Stan and Tea waited for Alistair to speak, but he remained silent and still. Finally, Stan spoke.

"Do it." He said. "But invite him over here. You'll feel more comfortable and confident than if you were at his mansion. Plus, this way, both Steven and Joshua can attend and support you should you need it." Tea nodded and smiled in relief. That was a good suggestion.

"Well then, I'm going to go now. Got a lot of gossip magazines to deal with courtesy of my favourite actress." Stan said with a smirk in Tea's direction. She blushed and mumbled a "sorry" to his disappearing face. Alistair's face now encompassed the whole screen.

"Alistair?" She directly addressed him in a small voice.

"Tea, I am not going to lie and say that I'm okay with this because you know I am not." He said, his face remaining as expressionless as ever.

"I know but-." She began but he cut her off.

"I don't trust Kaiba at all. I think this is another constructed attempt by him to get close to you and then emotionally hurt you."

"I know." Tea said in a tired voice. "I hate him for this. But like Stan said, we don't have much of a choice. And Alistair, please believe me when I say that I won't fall for his tricks anymore."

"Just be careful around him." Alistair said. "Knowing him, he has already planned something."

"Alistair, are you… are you still angry with me about what happened?" She asked hesitantly.

"I trust you Tea." Alistair said, his eyes softening for the first time since the beginning of their conversation. "I know you are faithful to me and won't do anything to hurt me. I don't trust Kaiba. I know the kind of man he is. He can manipulate people without their knowledge and I don't want you to be his victim again." Tears fell from her eyes at his words.

"Alistair…" She whispered.

"Tea, I… I know that your past with Kaiba is hurtful to you and is ever present in your mind. I accept that. But Kaiba also knows that, and he will do everything to use it to his advantage. He will hurt you and I don't want to see you hurt. So please… be careful." Tea could do nothing more than vigorously nod her head.

"I have to go now." Alistair said. "But I'll call you later, okay." This caused a small smile to appear on her lips. He too smiled and his face disappeared off the screen. Tea remained seated, staring at where his face had been, still picturing it to be there, gaining the courage and strength needed to call Seto and tell him of her decision. After a few minutes of putting her thoughts together, she stood up, determination shinning in her eyes.

She would not fall for Seto's tricks again.

She would not succumb to emotions.

She would not disappoint her friends, and most importantly, she would not hurt Alistair.

Whatever Seto had in mind, she would face it head on and emerge with her dignity.

* * *

Seto placed the phone down, a triumphant smirk on his face. It was as he had predicted. Tea had invited him over to her mansion. He knew she would not want to step into his mansion. There was too much history, too many memories within the walls of his mansion. Her own house appeared safer to her. Plus, she would have her two friends/ body guards there to "protect" her from his evil. He chuckled at that thought. Still chuckling, he entered his bedroom where Serenity was sitting, reading a fashion magazine. Upon his entry, she placed it down and smiled at him.

"Are you done?" She asked sweetly. He nodded his head and began changing into a T-shirt and shorts before climbing in bed with her. She immediately came and wrapped her arms around him. Normally, he would have shrugged her off with some cold words, but not anymore. He allowed her to cuddle up to him.

"We are going to dinner at Gardner's mansion the day after tomorrow." He informed her. Her body stiffened against him and she lifted her tearing eyes to stare at him.

"Wh… what? Why?"

"Because it will help the situation we are in." He said.

"I don't understand." She said with furrowed eyebrows. "How will having dinner with the girl that is supposedly your lover help the situation?"

"I am not having dinner with her. We are; you and I." He explained. "This will show the media that we are not affected by the rumours and that we have a strong enough relationship to withstand their gossip. Plus, it'll do your reputation good."

"But I can't." She said, looking away. "Mai would get angry." Seto sighed and sat up, facing her.

"Listen Serenity, you are in this mess because of Valentine and her arrogance. Every idiotic decision was her idea. Why should you have to pay for her immaturity?" Serenity seemed unsure and conflicted.

"Mai made her mistakes and she suffered for it, but I don't want to see you go through the same." Seto said in a gentle voice. "A meeting with Tea would greatly help your reputation. You would be seen as a lesser enemy, or maybe an acquaintance. The media would no longer write negative things about you. And it might help your business too." He could see the conflict playing on her face. She was tempted by his offer, but she was afraid of what Mai might do. It was time to bring out the big guns.

"This whole ordeal has hurt my reputation and business too. Because of my association with you and your association with Valentine and Wheeler, I am being targeted negatively as well. My company stock values have suffered, and they will continue to if I don't remedy the situation. I need you to do your part in restoring our reputation." Okay, so he was lying a bit. His stock values had soared due to his alleged affair with Tea. But he had to say it. It was the only way Serenity would readily agree and he didn't feel like using elaborate schemes to get her agreement. Why waste time and energy on her when it was much needed on someone or something else? He watched Serenity stare at him, completely torn. She was having trouble deciding because of her brother.

"It's time to decide." He said in a serious voice. "Do you want to stay with the already sunk ship that is Valentine and Wheeler, or do you want to be on my side?" She leaned forward.

"I am always on your side Seto… always." He smiled.

"I know, and you won't regret it. I will restore your reputation and business." She quickly moved forward and kissed him, slowly climbing on top of him. He allowed her and leaned back. She had just chosen him over her blood brother. She deserved some kind of reward.

* * *

Ding dong.

"Steven will get it." Joshua yelled from his spot on the floor besides Mokuba. Both exchanged devilish grins before turning back to their video game. Steven sighed and got off from the couch to do what he was volunteered for, but not before purposely bumping into Joshua, causing him to lose his game controller and yell. He opened the door to reveal a suit clad Seto Kaiba. Serenity was draped on his arm, wearing a dark green strapless dress. Kaiba held a box in his hand.

"Welcome Mr. Kaiba." Steven said with a pleasant smile. Seto nodded in acknowledgement and entered the mansion, Serenity still attached to his arm, glancing around suspiciously. Seto's eyes roamed as well, taking in the sight of the living room but not finding their desired target.

"Tea is in the kitchen." Steven said, walking before them. "I will inform her of your arrival. Please have a seat." Steven didn't turn to see if the two decided to follow and walked off into the kitchen. Inside, he found Tea standing in front of the stove. He walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She lifted her face and shot him a small smile before straightening up and following him outside to greet her guests.

"I'm so glad you could make it." She said as she entered. Immediately, she felt all eyes on her, some filled with concern, some with malice, and some with emotions she refused to acknowledge.

"Of course. The famous Tea Gardener invited us. Only fools would refuse such honor." Serenity said with a pleasant smile on her face, but the poison in the words was not lost on anyone.

"Dinner should be ready soon." Tea said, ignoring Serenity to the best of her ability. She turned to walk back into the kitchen when Seto spoke.

"Here." He said, holding out the box he had came in with. "We brought dessert."

"Oh." Was all Tea said as she hesitantly accepted the box, looking at the logo printed on it; _plaisirs défendus_. Her eyes met his briefly before averting quickly. "Thank you." She said and hurriedly went to the kitchen again.

Seto watched her reaction with satisfaction. Awkward silence followed Tea's exit. Finally, after what seemed like eternity to the occupants of the room, Tea announced that dinner was ready. Mokuba and Joshua went to help her with bringing the dishes to the table while Steven led the guests to the dining room where the air was already occupied with mouth watering aromas.

"Smells great." Mokuba said as he sat around the round table. Seto and Serenity sat together. Joshua chose to sit besides Seto, and Steven took a seat besides Serenity. Besides Steven sat Tea, followed by Mokuba who finished the circle by also being besides Joshua.

"Compliment after you have eaten." She said with a smile as she watched him fill his plate. Everyone followed and dinner proceeded. Silence, once again reigned supreme.

"How is the move going?" Mokuba asked, wanting to have some kind of conversation to put Tea off the edge.

"Oh it's fine so far." She said with a smile. "Nothing broken as of yet."

"You are moving?" Serenity asked, unable to keep the eagerness out of her voice.

"Yes. I'm moving some of my stuff from my Los Angeles home to Alistair's London mansion. We are going to be living together now that out relationship is out in public so I figured I should move necessary stuff now then later. Stan is supervising it." Tea replied.

"Oh that is wonderful." Serenity said, radiating fake joy. "Living together is very important for any relationship, especially if you know the person is the one for you." Serenity said sagely, then turned her head to gaze at Seto who was stiffly attacking his plate. "Seto asked me to move in with him one week after we started dating because our love was that strong. And we have been together since." Seto lifted his eyes ever so slightly to observe Tea and was relieved to see the slight tensing of her shoulders.

"Alistair and I had many other factors to consider before we took such a huge step." She said, turning back to her food.

"Of course." Serenity said wisely. "Your situation is different from Seto and mine. We developed deep feelings for each other ever since our first kiss. It was only logical for us to be together all the time."

"Of course." Tea said, choosing to not say anything more. Silence once again ensured.

"You should move in with Alistair as fast as you can." Serenity said after a while. "Living together is the only way you can truly strengthen a relationship and make it last forever, right Seto?" Seto chose not to reply and instead reached for his wine. "It's not easy and there are many ups and downs to deal with, but in the end, if the person you are with is right for you, it all becomes worth it." No one else bothered to comment and the conversation died there.

Tea carefully glanced at the couple before her. It was obvious to her that something had changed between them. Seto was as unreadable as ever but Serenity was like an open book. The soft look of absolute love in Serenity's eyes was not there before, nor was the absolute confidence and trust with which she gazed at Seto. There was no tension between them as Tea had observed before, and for some reason it left an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

After the conclusion of dinner, the party retired to the living room to converse. Tea delayed her presence with the excuse of picking up the dishes and cleaning the table. Unfortunately for her, Serenity volunteered to help. Sharing one last look with Mokuba, Tea walked into the kitchen, Serenity following close behind.

"You can place them on the counter." Tea said, her back to the girl. "I'll take care of them."

"You noticed it, didn't you?" Serenity said in a somewhat mocking voice. Without turning, Tea spoke.

"I don't understand what you mean." Serenity scoffed.

"Oh please. Don't try to act innocent. You are far from it. I know you noticed the change in Seto."

"If you think I pay enough attention to your significant other to notice anything about him, you are sadly mistaken." She said. Serenity smiled knowingly.

"Seto and I talked." Serenity said, taking pleasure when Tea's back stiffened unconsciously. "He told me everything. He told me the reasons why he did what he did, and what he is doing now. Don't think for a second it is for you or related to you in any way. He is doing it for _me_." Serenity's voice got louder by the end.

"I'm sure." Tea said in a nonchalant way.

"He is trying to restore my reputation and business. He said he wants to be with me forever." Despite her willpower, Tea sharply turned her head to stare at a smirking Serenity. "He apologized for all the mean things he did to me and told me he was more thankful for my presence in his life than that of his beloved brother." That was impossible to believe. Serenity over Mokuba? No. Seto would never say that. But Serenity has spoken with such pride, such conviction that it couldn't be completely false. Tea studied the girl carefully but there was no lie in Serenity's eyes or voice that she could detect. Serenity, too, was studying Tea and decided to drop the bomb.

"And you want to know why he is doing all this?" Serenity asked, excitement pouring from her words like lava from an erupting volcano. "He wants everything to be perfect when he proposes to me." This really was a bomb for Tea whose face paled considerably at these words. Her heart beat wildly against her rib cage. Her lungs gasped for air and she realized she hadn't taken in a breath since Serenity had told her the news. She sucked in a deep breath slowly in an attempt to not outwardly show her inner state. She did not know why she felt the way she was feeling. She could not identify the emotions she was feelings and this angered her.

"Any plan you had of stealing Seto from me to get revenge has failed so you might as well give up now." Serenity finished with a triumphant smile.

"I don't have and never had any plans to steal your boyfriend." Tea said in a surprisingly calm voice. "I absolutely abhor him and have no desire for any form of relationship with him, present or future. So you can sleep safely." She turned her head more to lock eyes with the now frowning girl and smirked. "As for your future engagement, I'd congratulate you when I see it rather than hear your declaration. But I do hope it happens and not just in gossip magazines." Serenity huffed.

"Just you wait." Was all she said before marching out of the kitchen. As soon as she disappeared from sight, Tea slumped against the counter. Kaiba and Serenity engaged? I hadn't seemed possible based on her earlier observations and evaluation of their relationship, but after today, it seemed not only possible but a real event in the future. But why was she concerned? They were both despicable beings in her eyes and so they belonged together Then why was she so unsettled by the news? Why was her heart panicking?

Unconsciously, she reached for the box that Seto had brought with him. _Plaisirs défendus._ The letters written in elegant silver writing stared back at her. Very cautiously, she opened the box and peeked inside. Chocolate éclair cake. That's what he had brought her. Of all the desserts he could have chosen, he chose this and she knew very well that coincidence was not a factor. He remembered.

Flashback

_Tea entered the mansion and placed her coat besides a black trench coat on the rack. So Seto had come before her today. She walked upstairs to where her bedroom was located only to be stopped by his tall figure in the hallway._

_"Why are you late?" He asked in a strained voice. But she knew it was not out of suspicion or jealousy, but concern._

_"A girl had a birthday today so she brought cake at the end of rehearsal and we all got to eat it." She said with a smile. His face held an incredulous look._

_"You stayed back to eat cake?"_

_"Not just any cake. It was a chocolate éclair cake from that really expensive French bakery, Plaisirs défendus. It was just so good that I stayed for seconds and took my time eating it, enjoying every bite." He shook his head at her answer before walking inside his office. Tea giggled before entering Mokuba's room and promising the kid help in homework as soon as she showered._

_It was around dinner time that she saw Seto again, but he wasn't coming from his office but from outside. She watched him as he hung his coat on the rack, all the while carefully balancing a box in his hands. He didn't even glance at them before walking into the kitchen. Tea shot Mokuba a questioning look but he shook his head to indicate his lack of knowledge in the matter. Soon, the maids set up dinner and they sat down to eat. Tea was tempted to ask him about the box but struggled against the urge. It was irritating enough to know that Seto knew of her curiosity. She didn't want to completely conform to his prediction. Mokuba too didn't bother asking, despite his overly inquisitive and curious nature so the dinner proceeded in silence. After dinner, Seto smirked and turned to Tea._

_"You lasted longer than I had predicted." He said and Tea glared at him._

_"So…" She said. He looked innocent._

_"So what?" Her glare intensified._

_"So tell me what is it?" He chuckled and motioned to a maid who went in the kitchen before bringing the same box he had brought. The maid placed the box in front of Tea who gasped in surprise before turning her head to stare at Seto._

_"Open it." He said in a tone that was neither a command nor a request. She did as was told and squealed in joy. It was a chocolate éclair cake, the same one she had eaten earlier during the day._

_"Have your fill." Seto said nanoseconds before he was tacked by Tea in a hug._

_"Thank you so much." She squealed, quickly separating and turning to the cake. Seto chuckled again as he watched her cut Mokuba and herself a large slice and eating her._

_"This is so good." She practically moaned. Mokuba nodded his head, enthusiastically eating the dessert. Seto watched the two with satisfaction._

_"Seto, you have to try some too." Tea said after she had finished more than half of her slice._

_"Clearly since you two find it so pleasurable." He said. Tea reached forward to cut him a slice but he grabbed her wrist, halting her movement. She stared at him in mild confusion and he smirked before planting his lips on her chocolate smeared ones. She gasped in surprise, giving him the perfect opportunity to slide his tongue in her mouth and taste the dessert that still lingered inside. His tongue gently stroked her teeth and tongue, earning a moan more delicious than the dessert he was tasting. He slowly pulled back and ran his tongue over his lips, watching Tea's hooded eyes and rose coloured cheeks._

_"It's not so bad. Though I have to say I prefer your taste more." Her rose coloured cheeks turned fire engine red and he let out a deep chuckle._

_"Okay." Mokuba, the soul Seto had completely forgotten about in his "tasting", spoke. "I didn't say it before because I didn't want to interrupt you two, even though I really wanted to, but I'll say it now. EWWW." Tea blushed fresh and Seto shot Mokuba an apologetic smile. "You know Seto, you need to be considerate of other people when you are with Tea. Even though I don't understand why you would need to do this weird stuff, I know that you like to, and I accept it, but just warn me before you go Romeo on her again."_

_"Okay then." Seto said. "I'm warning you right now to leave or suffer the consequences." Mokuba's mouth fell open, threatening to drop the cake he had just inserted. Tea seemed mildly shocked too, but embarrassment was much more evident on her features._

_"I can't believe you." Mokuba said, quickly grabbing his plate and marching towards his room. Seto turned to Tea._

_"Now, where were we?" He said,, grabbing her waist and pulling her into his lap, flush against him._

_"Seto…" She said, not knowing what else to say. Seto smirked and placed a spoon full of cake in her mouth, watching her chew and swallow._

_"I am not a fan of chocolate or sweet things, but I'm definitely liking this cake." He said before kissing her fully again. This time, she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Seto groaned in satisfaction and slid his hands over her body, resting one on her neck and the other on her waist. He increased the pressure on her lips, causing her to tilt her head back, pressing her torso further into his. Her hands slipped from his hair to his strong shoulders, feeling the muscles ripple beneath her touch. Her one hand slipped inside his collar, rubbing over the revealed, slightly damp skin of chest-_

_"AAHHH. My virgin eyes." They abruptly pulled apart after hearing Mokuba's scream and his running steps. "Why did I come down for water?" Tea broke into fits of giggles. Seto, too, chuckled before reaching for the spoon and taking another piece of cake. But as he brought it to her mouth, she held his wrist and instead, led it to his mouth, a mischievous smirk on her face. Seto couldn't help but grin back as he inserted the spoon in his mouth, watching her eyes on his lips. Yes. He definitely liked this cake._

End flashback

Anger welled up inside of her. What was he playing at? He brought her favourite dessert obviously to tell her that he remembered… but the question was why? Did he honestly think bringing her favourite dessert would increase his standing in her eyes? Did he really believe that she would take this gesture to be thoughtful, and not see it as a manipulative move? Perhaps he was trying to stir emotions in her that she had long buried. There was no doubt in her mind that her guess wasn't far from truth. But then why did he say those things to Serenity?

What was his game?

Nearly slamming the lid on the box, she marched out of the kitchen and towards her bedroom. She needed to… what? Her steps faltered as her brain searched for the answer to that question but there was no response available.

This was not good. This was definitely not good. Whatever game Seto Kaiba had started, it looked like he had already won.

No. She thought determinedly. It wasn't over until she admitted defeat. And that day was not coming in this life time… not anymore.

* * *

An uncomfortable silence reigned supreme over the atmosphere as Seto and Serenity sat opposite Joshua and Mokuba. Steven had taken a seat on the loveseat perpendicular to the two parties and he was busy watching them with mild interest.

"You know Mr. Kaiba, I almost worked for you." Joshua said, finally making an attempt to loosen the stifling air. Seto merely raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think I have ever advertised for the … services you offer." True. Whenever he had needed a new bodyguard, he had chosen someone and directly offered them the job. There had never been a proper process as was done for any other job post.

Joshua chuckled before replying.

"I did not apply to be a bodyguard. In fact, my current profession started with Tea and will probably end if we ever part ways. I was talking about the position of Marketing Manager that was available about 3 years ago." Recognition dawned on Seto's face and Joshua continued. "I applied and was called for an in-person interview with you after I passed the interviews from your HR department." Yes. Kaiba Corp. had an extensive selection process. Depending on the position being filled, the person was interviewed by the Human Resources Department. If they deemed him adequate, then the person was interviewed by the head of the department where he would be positioned. For higher level positions, the person was interviewed by Seto Kaiba himself. After all, he wanted to make sure someone with at least enough brain power as that of a dolphin was making decisions. But Seto didn't remember seeing Joshua's face. And he always remembered those he rejected. After all, it was quite hard to forget faces that went from crying and begging to raging and threatening.

"You know, you should think about changing your selection process." Joshua continued. "It's just to tiring. I mean, so many interviews and having to wear a suit for everyone of them?" Mokuba chuckled and even Steven cracked a smile. "I had to go to 3 interviews, and had to buy 2 new suits. And I don't even like wearing them." He said, making a face.

"I don't recall interviewing you." Seto said, ignoring Joshua's thoughtful suggestion and heartfelt complaints.

"That's because I never went for the interview." Joshua said with a grin. "I met Tea and she offered me a job that didn't require any stressful interviews or stuffy suits. I humbly accepted."

"Of course. And getting to be near a famous celebrity and enjoying the associated perks never crossed your mind." Mokuba said with a smirk.

"Of course not. I said yes because it is impossible to say no to Tea." Joshua said with a smirk. "As for the perks…well, I just accept what life throws at me and never complain. That is just how I am."

"Of course Saint Joshua. "Mokuba bowed mockingly.

"So you could have had a real career but you decided to be a bodyguard?" Serenity said in wonder sprinkled with disgust.

"Yes." Joshua said without any shame or regret. "I get to travel all over the world, meet all the celebrities, get passes to international events, and I do it all with my friends without doing any actual work. Why would I chose a stuffy office and an arrogant boss over that?" Serenity didn't have a reply. She continued to stare at Joshua in wonder.

"Steven and I both have degrees. We have both done MBA. Steven is actually a certified accountant. He was working for a major oil company when we found him and offered him the job. He refused but Tea was determined. She asked him again and he finally said yes. And I was blessed with another friend." Joshua winked at Steven who ignored him completely.

"Our formal title may be bodyguard, but we hardly ever do as the job description dictates. We have a close, family-like relationship with Tea and often we become the boss and order her around while she becomes our employee." Steven said.

"Mostly Steven is the tyrannical dictator and Tea and I the humble servants." Joshua added.

"Joshua and I also work with Stan, her manager, in dealing with other affairs. Joshua's usually involved in the marketing of her movies or products, and I keep a track of her accounts, making sure nothing is being muddled."

"And once Mokuba finishes his education, I'm sure we can find a spot for him too." Joshua said in a joking manner. Mokuba laughed, ignoring the stiffening of Seto's shoulders or the narrowing of his eyes.

"Oh yeah. What job would I take?" Mokuba said, turning to Joshua.

"You could be the permanently hired clown." Joshua replied cheekily.

"But I don't want to take your position." Mokuba replied easily. "No one clowns better than you. You even look the part."

"Why you little…" Joshua growled playfully. "I have had many award winning actresses asking for some time with this face."

"Maybe they want to hire you for their kids birthday party." Mokuba said and both began laughing. In between their guffaws, a phone ring reached Seto. He reached for his pocket and took out the annoying piece of technology. Just when he had told them specifically not to…

"Excuse me." He said curtly and began walking away from the circus, flipping the phone open before barking out a harsh 'what'.

* * *

Tea stared at her reflection. She had just finished reapplying makeup after washing her face with cold water. Determined blue eyes stared back at her and she grinned a bit. It seemed Seto Kaiba's victory was very short lived. Too bad he wasn't even aware of it to enjoy it, for who knew if and not when he would get another opportunity.

Satisfied with her appearance, she walked out of her room and towards the staircase that would take her to the battle field. She wondered how her boys were holding the fort. She wasn't worried about Steven. He would, no doubt, be sitting calmly, not provoking the older Kaiba. Joshua, on the other hand, was the daring type. He would probably try to get a rise out of the usually stoic man. She just hoped he didn't do anything too serious. She wasn't too sure about Mokuba. He might act as the buffer or the catalyst.

Her musings were rudely interrupted by a voice hissing in anger.

"Fix it. I don't care if your mother is sick, or if your wife is in labour, or if your whole family is on fire. Fix it in the next two hours or don't bother showing up to work tomorrow." The rant was followed by the sound of a cell phone snapping shut. She walked a little bit forward and saw Seto muttering under his breath, no doubt curses on the poor soul he had just terrorized.

"Always demanding that the world dance on your fingers." She said, causing him to turn and face her. "Same old Kaiba."

"But where is the same old Tea?" He asked softly, all previous anger evaporating from his every molecule.

"She is gone." Where you can't hurt her anymore. The last part was silently screamed in her mind, but her face didn't show it.

"You lie." He said plainly.

"Don't pretend like you know me." She snarled. Apparently, the anger didn't have to travel far. It had found a new home in her.

"I am not pretending." He said. "I do know you… because now, you are just like me." His voice was soft. "You wear a mask like I do and hide behind it." Blood pounded in her ears as she spoke.

"I don't have to hide from anyone… especially not from you." She took a step towards him as a display of bravery. "I am not the same girl anymore. You would do good to remember that."

"I've seen you." He said, voice still as soft as it had been before. "I've seen you peek at me when your mask slipped. I've seen the girl from four years ago stare at me—"

"You can't manipulate me with your words anymore." Tea said, her nostrils flaring in anger. "I won't fall for it." Seto sighed, in defeat or frustration, she wasn't sure.

"What game are you playing?" She got right to the point.

"I am not playing any game." He said calmly and she knew his mask was on. It disturbed her to know that they had anything in common, but at least the advantage was that she could read him as well as he could read her.

"You lie." She threw his words right back at him. He smirked.

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you with the rest of them?"

"I came to take a call away from the incessant chatter." He said plainly. "Or perhaps I had planned to get this call so I could have an excuse to leave the others and try my luck at finding you alone. You seem to be very eager to make assumptions and draw conclusions. Take your pick." His smirk sent her every nerve on fire. He was still playing games with her…with her mind.

"I don't have time to play your mind games." She said, walking past him.

"I am not playing games Tea." He said, his hand grabbing her wrist to stop her progress away from him.

"Let me go." She said in a deadpanned voice.

"I did that a long time ago, and I have regretted it every single second since." He said in a tired voice.

"I won't fall for your words anymore… not again, not after I have seen the real you." She whispered the last part, lowering her gaze. She cursed herself for showing weakness.

"You are believing only what you want to believe. You are making assumptions and reaching conclusions without analyzing everything."

"Oh really? And what would you have me do?" She mocked, locking eyes with him.

"I would have you open your eyes… for your own sake." His hand gently moved from her wrist to her hand, grasping it. "I would have you follow your instinct. I would have you free your heart and listen to it. I would have you follow your heart… like you always have." Very gently, he released her hand, turned, and walked away, leaving her to clutch the small folded piece of paper he had slipped into her palm. She didn't move a muscle until he disappeared out of sight. Then, with shaking hands, she unfolded the paper and her eyes widened at the content.

...

* * *

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

_Dreams/Flashbacks_

* * *

...

Cool wind blew past her, gently caressing her hair and cheeks as she stood facing the ocean that reflected the various colours of the setting sun. The sky prepared to dazzle with orange and red before putting on the cloak of night, and the water rippled with anxiety to finally glitter with moonlight. No noise, save the calls of birds as they trudged home, could be heard over the gentle sound of waves. It was this peaceful scene that had her heart fluttering with unrest and unease. The serenity of the surround rang in her ears as warning bells. The phrase 'calm before the storm' had not left her mind ever since she had stood upon the docks. Every fiber of her being was tense, every hair standing on end, every muscle bunched up to respond as soon as threat appeared.

She glanced at her left and saw the ominous spot, the place where years ago she had sat helplessly, a crate dangling above her head as a mad man threatened her then friends. Automatically, her eyes moved a few feet away to rest on the spot where _he_ had stood, his eyes focused not on the duel but on her. A shudder coursed through her body as she recalled the meeting of their eyes. They had been…calculating?... concerned?... afraid? She never had time to contemplate because he had moved. Like lightening he struck, fast and deadly, striking the target. The sound of chopper was drowned in her ears by the pained scream of the man who had control of the crate, and then it was over. She had been too numb to hear the deafening crash of the chopper into the water behind her, or the screams of her friends, or Marik's growl escaping through Joey's mouth. No. Her eyes had met his again and she remembered shuddering.

The sun sank a bit more into the welcoming embrace of the water and the wind howled at the loss of heat. She wrapped her arms around herself a bit tighter unconsciously. Even after years, this place could make her heart beat in fear.

"It is not so cold right now." The voice behind her caused her head to whip in its direction, and she saw him walk towards her at a leisurely pace, which to her appeared like a predator stalking its prey. "But I have a coat in my car, if you need it." She scowled at his generous offer. Her arms crossed over her chest in a defiant manner as she turned fully to face him.

"What do you want?" He merely raised an eyebrow at her question.

"Why did you ask me to come here?" She rephrased. Instead of directly answering her, he kept his eyes locked onto hers and continued his predatory stalk towards her. She felt a familiar shudder surface but she let out a deep breath to calm herself. However, she did not remove her gaze from him and almost saw the smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. She would not be intimidated by him… or at the very least, she would not let him know if she was intimidated by him. Her heart beat wildly against her chest when he was, but an arm's length away from her, but instead of stopping before her, he continued past her and stood facing the ocean the same way she had been not too long ago. Confused and frustrated, she turned again and opened her mouth to speak but he beat her to it.

"It is a beautiful evening, isn't it?" He asked in a very gentle, non-Kaiba like voice. Her head spun, in anger or confusion, she was not sure.

"Did you call me here to show me the scenery?"

"No." He said honestly, still not turning to face her. "I called you because I knew you would come." He answered and momentarily, she was baffled. He had simply asked her to come because he knew she would? That did not make any sense. Where was the motive? At that moment, she was glad he was not facing her because she was sure her face reflected her utterly baffled state.

"… Well, since you know me so well, this should not come as a surprise to you." She said hotly and spun on her heel to march far away from this infuriating man when he spoke again.

"Do you know what day is it today?" A growl escaped her lips as frustration reached an all time high, at least for today.

"Is this some sort of new torture technique, to quiz me on stupid topics and ask me idiotic questions?" More than him, she felt frustrated at herself for responding to him. Maybe he was right. Maybe he did know her too well.

"I refuse to believe you have forgotten it." He said softly and finally turned, locking eyes with her. His soft gaze washed over her like the cool breeze that blew all around them.

"I know what day it is." She ground out as her eyes narrowed in accusation. "So this is your game. You called me here to remind of the favour you did me by saving my life." Her jaw clenched. "Well, I think it is time I repay back that … favour." She spat the word as if it was poison on her tongue. "You lost a chopper and I am willing to compensate you for it. As for your generous gesture to save my life, I believe we can consider my talk with Mokuba a return favour."

"Weighing emotions against money?" He said with a raised eyebrow. "You have become more like me than you realize." Her jaw clenched tighter, her hand forming a fist on her side. "It is a pity, and ironic really, that you would sink to the same low place from where you once tried to save me."

"Don't try to be high and mighty when you know that your reason to be here and call me here is just as _noble_ as my attitude."

"On the contrary, I did not call you here to remind of that incident." He said calmly and she snorted in disbelief. "True that today is that day but it is also the very same day and place that started _us_." Her eyes widened as the realization hit her. "Today is the day you did the biggest favour to me. You accepted me in your life." The wind bellowed around them as the last yellow ray of sun was swallowed by the orange and the red. The waves crashed against the docks and the birds flew over them, calling to each other. But it was all drowned by the raging storm in his arctic blue eyes.

Flashback

_She stood facing the water, mesmerized at the contrast of colours the setting sun was creating on the water. Had this time of the day always been this breathtaking or was she just seeing it this way because she had been given a second chance at life? She believed it to be both. Perhaps too lost in the thrills of life and the security of the surround, she had failed to pay attention to the little things that made up the world. And why would she have? What would a sunset bring her? What would the crashing waves, the starlit sky, the glowing moon bring her? What place, what significance did they have save being objects that were just… there. Staring at them, admiring them, noticing their purpose in the world, their role in the cosmos did not being her any benefit. No, staring at the moon did not lead her to be a better dancer. Counting stars at night did not bring her peace when she knew the next day she would have to pull an extra shift at work to get enough money to pay for her application fee. No. These… objects were meaningless to one lost in the hustle and bustle of life._

_But once it was all taken away, the stress of work, of job, or career, of future, then what?_

_Once the lens of future was off, the world was different. It was alive. It was vibrant with colour, with sounds, with smells, with sensations that were overpowered and overshadowed by the "priorities" of life. One was able to appreciate everything from the breath that one took to the sun that kept cosmos in order, from the small speck of dirt that stuck to the shoe to the stars that lit at night to make the darkness friendly and beautiful. This was the life of the second-born, of someone who had crossed over and returned more wise and noble._

_She took a deep breath and smiled at the cool sensation of the humid wind against her warm skin. To think she could have… most likely would have missed all this if fate, also called Seto Kaiba by some of her friends, had not intervened. She shuddered, not from the wind or the chill in the air, but from the memory as she eyed that spot that had been her intended grave, had Kaiba not intervened. She closed her eyes and thanked God for a second chance at life. And she silently thanked Kaiba as well._

_"You would think that coming here for a year, you would have enough sense to know it sometimes gets chilly and a sweater might be needed." The unmistakable voice of her savior rang over the crashing waves and she turned with surprise evident on her face and eyes. "But then again, you are friends with the mutt. Perhaps the obvious evade you more than I thought." His comment annoyed her but it did not overcome her shock at seeing him here, of all the places, and today nonetheless, at the anniversary of that horrid day. Was it a coincidence?_

_"What are you doing here?" She asked. He smirked as he continued walking towards her._

_"Oh, I'm sorry. I did not know this place was private property." He said sarcastically, but with less bite than what usually came out of his mouth._

_"I'm sorry." She quickly apologized. "I was just curious because…"_

_"Because of the day and place?" He supplied with that aggravating smirk of his, but once again, the shock came because of his words and not the tone. "Yes Gardner, I do remember. Today is the anniversary, I believe." She stared at him like a fish out of water, mouth open, a twitch going through her body every now and then. His smirk widened and it was enough to sober her up._

_"So you are here to mourn your chopper?" She said, and he let out a laugh._

_"You never fail to disappoint me Gardner. I like that." Shock threatened to surface again, but this time, she was ready and determined._

_"I'll… leave you then…" She said and took a step back when he shot her a weird look._

_"You don't have to leave on my account." He said. "If I wanted solitude, I would have waited a few more minutes for you to leave, or arrived before 4:30 since that is your designated time." This time, shock won, once again._

_"You… know… I come here?" She managed while trying her best not to get angry at his smirk._

_"Of course. I have been coming here too, to mourn my chopper as you believe it." She blushed in embarrassment, but her decision to leave was reconsidered. So she took a step closer and walked to stand beside him, facing the water._

_"Thank you." She said and she heard him sigh. "I know I have said that many times before-."_

_"Ninety seven times." He supplied without turning his gaze from the water. "And this makes it ninety eight." She stared at him with surprise in her eyes. He was keeping count?_

_"Well… anyway, I wanted to thank you again. And I will continue to as long as I breath because I am breathing thanks to you. I could have died but you saved me." She blushed and turned away from him. "I know this sounds cheesy and corny but I feel like you gave me a new life, better than my previous life. Thank you for that, and I guess that makes it ninety nine." She finished with a smile. He did not answer for a while. She saw his jaw clench and unclench a few times but he did not speak._

_"You said you have been here many times too, and from your previous statements about my lack of sweaters and time pattern, I would say you have been here as many times as me, if not more. Why didn't you ever come and talk, like you did today?" She asked. He still didn't answer. All gratitude aside, she was beginning to get frustrated with him._

_"Well, I can see you are in one of your moods now, so I'll leave you." She said hotly and turned on her heel when he spoke._

_"Have dinner with me." She nearly slipped and fell, even though the dock was quite dry and make of non-slippery wood._

_"Wh… what?" She so intelligently responded. He turned and openly smirked at her._

_"I am tired of hearing your 'thank yous'. If you really want to repay me, then have dinner with me. Mokuba is at a friend's house tonight and I find myself craving company."_

_"I don't… dinner… me… tonight… me… dinner…" She said between breaths. He let out a chuckle._

_"You will not be dinner Gardner." He said and she blushed crimson. "There will be actual food, and I guarantee you will enjoy it should you decide to come. And I will answer all your questions, even the one you asked me eleven months and eighteen days ago." Her eyes widened as she recalled the question she had asked him that long ago. She had asked him why he had saved her? Why he had sacrificed his million dollar chopper for her? Why had he risked his life for her? He had never answered. But today, he was willingly offering? Of course there was a catch i.e. dinner with him. but was that so bad? What could he do in a few hours?... Ok, so there was a lot this man could do in a few minutes let alone a few hours, but it wasn't like he was going to torture her… at least not physically. Besides, the temptation to have her unanswered questions finally answered was too great._

_"Okay." She finally said. "Where do you want me to meet you?" He began walking away from her towards his car or ride she presumed._

_"I will send a car to pick you up at 7." He said over his shoulder._

_"Can you at least tell me the location so I know to dress appropriately." She yelled over the wind and the waves at his back._

_"It will be at my mansion." Was all he said before he disappeared behind the raised platforms. Tea sighed in exasperation. This man was the most frustrating being she had ever met… but he was an enigma that interested her. And now she had a dinner date with the enigmatic man. A tingle of excitement ran through her spin all the way to her toes and she giggled. If nothing else came out of this dinner, at least she could tell her grandkids that she once ate dinner with the great Seto Kaiba._

* * *

_She turned her face away from the window to stare at the clock. It read 6:58pm and there was no sign of any car coming for her. Knowing Kaiba's knack for punctuality, she had actually made the effort to be ready before 7 and had succeeded. She figured if she pleased Kaiba, it would be easier to obtain the answers she sought. But now that she was ready, time seemed to be moving extra slow. Granted that she had been waiting for only a few minutes, it felt much longer. Was this how others felt when they expected someone to be on time and the person wasn't? If so, how did the concept of "fashionably late" arise?_

_BEEP BEEEEEP. Startled out of her thoughts by the loud sound of a car horn, she found herself staring at a sleek car right before her apartment complex. Quickly sneaking a look at the clock while grabbing her purse, she noted that it was exactly 7:00pm and 4 seconds. The car must have arrived exactly at 7._

_'Wow, talk about punctuality.' She thought as she raced out of her apartment, down the stairs and out the door. The driver, a fairly tall and well built man dressed in a black suit quickly got out of the car and greeted her while opening the back door of a silver Lexus for her. Smiling graciously, she got in, slinking further along the impossibly soft seats, allowing him to slam the door and sit in the front behind the wheel. Noiselessly the car began moving._

_Tea glanced at the man's face reflected in the rear-view mirror. He appeared to be in his 40s, probably early 40s. His face was set straight, eye focused on the road, but his eyes were soft and friendly. When those eyes met hers through the mirror, she blushed._

_"Is something the matter ma'am?" He asked kindly. She blushed again before speaking._

_"I was just wondering how you managed to get to my apartment at exactly 7pm, not a second over or under? How do you time yourself so well?" He actually laughed at her question and she felt even more stupid for asking. Of course he was punctual to the extreme. He was a Kaiba Corp employee, or at least Kaiba's employee. Kaiba probably whipped the ones who didn't follow his every wish until they were turned into the perfect beings he desired._

_"I do time myself." The man replied, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I time myself to get there ahead of the schedule, but never late. Then I hide a block or two away and show up at the exact time."_

_"Hide?" Tea said with wide eyes before giggling._

_"Yes." The man said with a chuckle. "I was at your apartment at 6:50pm. But I remained out of sight. I was parked in front of the coin Laundromat, which I believe is owned by a couple in their mid 40's." Tea giggled even more and nodded her head._

_"Okay, I believe you." She said as she regained some control over her self and her giggles died down. "I actually had the ridiculous idea of Kaiba whipping his employees to turn them into perfect machines." The man smiled at her through the mirror again._

_"Mr. Kaiba is demanding and strict but he is not unfair to those who are loyal and competent. I'm sure you already believe that he is a decent man or you would not be here in this car on the way to his home to have dinner with him." Tea's eyes softened as she recalled his attitude towards Mokuba, and his selfless gesture towards her and she nodded._

_"Well, we have almost arrived." The man said and Tea eagerly looked out the window to see a huge mansion become even bigger as the car approached it. Her eyes widened as far as they could as the car pulled up before a set of huge metal doors. The driver entered something in a remote, perhaps a code or password of some sort she guessed, and the doors opened to reveal a long driveway. Feeling much like a dog in a car, she stuck her face as close to the window as was dignified and stared at the lush greenery and fountains passing them as they approached the actual entrance of the mansion. When the car stopped, the man got out swiftly and opened her door for her, allowing her space to get out. She straightened her outfit and stepped on the a stair when the door opened and appeared the handsome owner of the giant mansion._

_"Come in." He said as he stepped aside to let her in. She took a step further but then turned to stare at the driver._

_"Thank you very much for bringing me here and being so nice to me Mr…" The man actually blushed before muttering "Robins" quickly. She smiled kindly at him and thanked him again before turning to face a now scowling Kaiba, who thankfully still let her in._

_The inside was even more beautiful, if that was possible, and with Kaiba, it was all possible. It was so elegant and classy she felt like she was in a high class establishment and not an actual house. But then again, it was not a house but a huge mansion._

_"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." He said as he passed her to move further into the house. She followed, all the while studying him. He was wearing plain but undoubtedly expensive dark blue jeans. Over than, he was wearing a white collared shirt. His outfit was simple, yet strikingly dashing. Was this how he usually dressed in his house or was this a special get up for her? Nonetheless, it was rich and classy. She was glad she had picked the outfit she was wearing. It was a simple but pretty black cocktail dress that Mai had forced her to buy. At that moment, she thanked God for listening to Mai's logic of 'every girl needs a little black dress'. Hers wasn't too formal since she didn't think she had any special events to wear it to. It was sleeveless and came up to her knees, flaring out slightly near the hips. Mai had termed it cute, on its own and on her._

_"Have a seat." Kaiba said, gesturing to a spacious living room. She chose a seat and sunk into a comfortable couch. He chose a spot across from her and the staring contest began. She nervously fidgeted and he confidently smirked in amusement. Finally wanting to break the silence, she spoke._

_"So Mokuba is at a friend's place?" He nodded._

_"Yes. He was insistent and I could not say no."_

_"I am surprised you let him. You are overly protective of him." He scowled._

_"I am not over-protective." He corrected and she smiled._

_"I bet Mokuba said the same thing, didn't he?" When he shot her a half hearted glare, she giggled._

_"He's a good kid. You should trust him every now and then."_

_"I do." He said in a surprisingly gentle voice. "I allow him everything that he asks for and more, but I believe I have spoiled him."_

_"You can't spoil a child like Mokuba. He is too caring to be self absorbed." She said with a fond smile, remembering her time with him when they were trapped in a warehouse. He had been adamant to not leave without her and only after many pleads did he leave with the promise that he would come back for her._

_"His way of caring is very selfish." Tea opened her mouth to refute but he help up his hand to stop her. "I know him and deal with him, so trust me when I say that it is true. Even when he is being nice to you or me or someone else, subconsciously, he is doing it for himself."_

_"How can you say that?" Tea protested. "He worships you. He is always looking out for you and defends you against Joey and Tristan." Kaiba's eyes softened._

_"I would not deny that he is loyal and caring, but he defends me because I am his brother and so by principle, he must support me. He cares for my well being because he knows he needs me in his life. My life revolves around him. He knows that and sometimes I feel he expects that. He has expectations that are often not warranted. He was not supposed to be at a friend's house tonight, but he knew he would get permission. But the fault is my own. I have given myself to him so wholly that I am mine no more."_

_"I don't think that is true." Tea said softly. "Mokuba cares for you deeper than that. He does have expectations of you but he is also very aware of what is expected of him. He loves you and knows that you love him. It is possible that he takes advantage of your love for him, but he is a child. It is what he should do."_

_"You mean it is normal for him to abuse my attitude towards him?" Kaiba said slyly with a faint smirk._

_"Not abuse." Tea corrected. "Abuse is such a harsh word. Utilize to the best of his ability." She said cheekily and he actually chuckled. Tea gazed at him in wonder for she could not recall him chuckling, at least not at something she had ever said. Just then a maid entered._

_"Dinner is ready sir." Kaiba stood up and Tea followed suit, walking behind him as they went up the stairs, through a small hallway and onto a fairly spacious balcony. A table for two had been set. Like a true gentleman, Kaiba pulled out a chair for her before sitting._

_"You are so lucky you have a balcony you can enjoy." Tea said. "I can't even sit by my window because there is so much noise from traffic." He smiled._

_"I am sure something can be done about that… but after dinner."_

_"Huh?" She was confused at his words and wondered what he could do to remedy her situation. Surely he could not build her a balcony at her apartment or change the road direction so no traffic would bother her. That was impossible. But then again, this was Kaiba. Anything was possible for him._

_The maids began bringing food and uncovering them. An unintentional squeal escaped Tea's lips as she stared at the uncovered food. Italian cuisine was her favourite, but it was hard to find an affordable restaurant in Domino, so she never got to eat much except for frozen dinners. But this… this was amazing. The food smelled exquisite and she could not wait to dig in. But how had he known? Or was this a coincidence? One glance at his arrogantly satisfied smirk told her he had known all along. But how? She did not recall ever having a decent conversation with him let alone discuss her taste buds._

_"I recall you advocating for Italian food for the dance in grade 9, and again in grade 10. Further research proved that it was your preferred cuisine." She was surprised, no shocked, that he remembered something that had happened years ago. Yes, she had wanted Italian food for the dance, but it was denied since no affordable place was nearby. But how had he known? He was not on the dance committee, she knew that for sure. And what did he mean by "research"? Was there a file somewhere with information on her? Maybe Tristan was right in his conspiracy theories about the government keeping a file of every person in the country._

_"What do you mean 'research'?" She asked suspiciously. His smirk widened as he pushed a plate of bruschetta towards her._

_"You know, following you on your grocery shopping trips, going through your garbage et cetera et cetera."_

_"You are joking." She said, smiling at his smile. "I can't believe you are actually joking." She helped herself to some food and began eating. Immediately her eyes rolled back in pleasure. This was so much better than the frozen entrees she indulged in._

_"This is amazing." She said between bites and he smirked._

_"I did guarantee you would enjoy dinner." She did recall him making that claim on the docks. Had he already planned this when he had asked her to dinner? Or had he commanded his maids to cook after he had received her answer._

_"Your cook is amazing." She complimented and he looked up from his plate._

_"This was not made by my cook. This was made by the head chef of Mirabile." He said causally sipping his wine. Tea nearly spit out hers. Mirabile? Not only was that a very high class establishment where she could not even get a reservation in her fantasies, but it was at the other corner of Domino. Driving from there to Kaiba mansion would require at least 2 hours, and then making this amazing food should have taken a few more hours. But how was that possible when she had seen Kaiba around 5pm? How had he managed to, first of all, convince the head chef of Mirabile to leave his restaurant in the evening when many people would be coming to dine, manage to get him to his mansion in time and get him to make all this food? It didn't add up._

_"Since it looks like your are thinking more than enjoying your food, I will tell you that I had the head chef fly over in my private chopper to save travel time. He was already in my mansion cooking when I met you and invited you to dinner." Her eyes widened for the nth time that day. Surely a stroke or heart attack was to come to her that day considering the amount of shocks she had received._

_"But how did you know what I was going to say?" She demanded._

_"I believe that question period should be after dinner. But just to make it easy for you to at least swallow your food, I knew you would agree because I had the perfect bait." His twinkling eyes told her exactly what he meant and she cursed her curious nature. But at least her curiosity hadn't gotten her killed. It had gotten her to a delicious dinner at a beautiful balcony in a breathtaking mansion with a devilishly handsome and clever man. Curiosity was good… so far._

_At the conclusion of dinner, Seto led her through the same small hallway, down the stairs, and into a large, empty hall. She raised a questioning eyebrow at him when he left her standing alone and walked towards a corner._

_"I had this recently completed, so you will be the first to see it." He said and she wondered what he was talking about. Did he make another duel disk or gaming software?_

_"Put this on." He said, holding a bracelet like device in his hand. She inspected it when he had clasped it around her delicate wrist. It was a high tech wrist band or some sort. But it was still very sleek and beautiful, silver in colour._

_Suddenly, the lights went off and there was pitch blackness. Panic rose in her heart. What was going on? Unconsciously, she held the bracelet. But before she could call out to Kaiba, glaring lights blinded her vision, momentarily causing her to close her eyes in a gesture of protection. But even behind her close eyelids, she could see the lights. Not only that, there were sounds of people, a crowd, moving around her. The air around her face was slightly humid, but relatively calm and nice. Cautiously, she opened her eyes and was baffled to find herself standing on a sidewalk, surrounded by people. Around her, there were buildings upon tall buildings, most of them flashing various advertisements on giant screens. Hundreds of individuals, dressed in all kinds of clothes surrounded her as they walked, completely ignorant of her presence, yet careful to avoid her if her still form came in their way. With a rapidly beating heart, she looked at the intersection and there it was, just as she had predicted; Seventh Avenue and Broadway._

_"I don't believe it." She whispered, more to herself than to address him._

_"I believe you recognize this place." He said in a pleased tone. She vigorously nodded her head._

_"Yes. I do. I have dreamed of being here so many times… and now… this…" She could not describe the feeling. To be at the famous New York Times Square was a dream of hers. She had promised herself that if she ever enough money to visit New York, she would definitely visit Times Square. But Kaiba had made that dream come true for free. It was unbelievable. Even though in a corner of her mind, she knew she was in Kaiba mansion and all this was probably a virtual reality, or some illusion, but it felt so real. She could literally smell the hotdogs people were eating, hear the sound of people speaking to each other, and into their cell phones. She could feel their clothes, and sometimes body parts, brush against hers as they passed her, lost in their own world._

_"How… how is this… so real?" She asked._

_"Because of the bracelet on your wrist." His voice came from too close and she turned to find him right beside her. She had been so lost in the sights that she had failed to notice him walk towards her and stand beside her. But at this very moment, she did not care._

_"Bracelet?" She said, eyeing the silver device carefully._

_"It sends electrical signals to your sensory nerves, thus causing your synapses to be activated, and signal to your brain. The bracelet is connected with the mainframe from where I can select a location or setting. Then the bracelet works to activate only the senses and synapses that are associated with the place, such as the feeling of humid air, the smell of hotdogs, the feel of a material against your skin et cetera." She stared at him in absolute wonder._

_"How… how can you do that?"_

_"It's quite simple really. All you need to do is determine the optimal input to activate the sensory nerve endings of your sensory cells and neuron synapses, and have extensive knowledge of the human anatomy and nervous system, so you can regulate and designate the different inputs needed to activate different sensory neurons." He replied causally. Yeah, simple for him only. She decided not to voice that and turned back to focus on the view before her._

_"We can walk too." He informed her. Tentatively, she took a step, dodging the person walking towards her, but in the process, she bumped into the one walking beside her. She actually felt her shoulder hit his arm._

_"Sorry." The person said quickly and put some distance between them before continuing his walking. She was amazed at this… at what Kaiba had done._

_"Let's go." She felt Kaiba grab her hand and lead her through the crowd. Baffled, she walked with him as he pointed out the landmarks that made Times Square a sight to see. She saw everything, from the AXA Center to the Times Square Tower. Kaiba was an excellent guide. After they passed the New York Marriot Marquis, Tea pulled on Kaiba's hand to stop him. He did so and turned to shoot her a confusing stare._

_"Thank you." She said softly. He stared at her for a few moments before letting go of her hand and taking something out of his pocket._

_"There is one other place I want to show you." He said, holding a small remote that he had produced from him pocket. He pressed one button and the scene changed. Suddenly, it was much calmer and she was staring at a different building. Looking up, she found herself staring at another dream. It was Broadway Theatre._

_Just like before, Kaiba grabbed her hand and dragged her still and speechless form inside. Like a thirsty traveller, Tea eagerly and greedily drank in the site her eyes were seeing, from the walls to the hundreds of seats to the stage they were fast approaching. Her heart did a flip and she felt her knees go weak. The stage. They were going to the stage. She was going to step on the stage she only dared to dream of, the stage where only a chosen few performed, the stage that was pretty much like holy ground to her. She was sure that if Kaiba was not holding her hand, she would have collapsed on it, kissing it with tears streaming down her face._

_"I know you have always wanted to be here." He said, finally letting go of her hand when they were standing in the middle of it. "The future when you will get to stand on the real stage is perhaps not very far, but if you want, you can dance here right now." With wide eyes, she stared at him before letting out an excited squeal and running a few feet back. She lifted one of her legs and gracefully spun on her toes, doing a pirouette. When she finished, she opened her eyes before giggling in joy and doing more pirouettes. Had she known this awaited her, she would not have worn a dress. Thankfully, it did not constrict her knees and she was able to bend them, albeit a bit uncomfortably._

_After doing a few pirouettes and a few other dance moves, she stopped and opened her twinkling eyes, meeting Kaiba's soft ones. Almost in slow motion, she walked towards him until she was standing but a few centimetres from him. It was the closest she had been to him… ever. She could feel the heat radiating from his body mingling with the heat from her own body. The smell of his spicy and fresh cologne pleased her senses and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes before closing the distance between them._

_"Thank you so much." She said while embracing him gently. "This is… this is more than I have ever imagined. You have made my dreams come true. You have made me so happy…" Her voice broke as emotions chocked her throat. She finally felt him respond as his arms slowly wrapped around her small frame. "Thank you." She repeated._

_"I…" He hesitated. She lifted her face from his warm chest to stare at his face. Their eyes met and she saw a storm of emotions, all swirling so quickly that she could not distinguish any one of them._

_"I'm glad you like it." He finally said, turning his face away from hers. For a few seconds, they did not move. Finally, Tea separated herself from him. He lifted the remote and pressed a button and suddenly, they were back in the Kaiba mansion, standing in an empty hall._

_"I think this was a successful first run." He said, walking towards a corner, where a laptop was located on a table. "I'm sure Mokuba would appreciate it as well, though he would want to use it to revisit Disney World." He said with a chuckle._

_"Why?" Tea's soft voice rang in the empty room._

_"He loved that place when we first went there. After that, he demanded that I make a similar place in Domino, so I built Kaiba Land." Kaiba explained, turning off the laptop and closing the screen._

_"Why did you do all this for me?" She asked the real question that she felt he had known but had carefully avoided. He did not answer. "Why did you go to such lengths to make me happy, to, if I daresay, impress me?" He lifted his head and locked eyes with her._

_"Have I succeeded?" He softly questioned back and suddenly, her heart was racing, just like it had at the sight of the Broadway stage._

_"Why did you invite me to dinner today Kaiba?" She whispered._

_"Because I was tired of running away." He replied, looking away. "I was tired of running and avoiding this. I was tired of lying to myself, of looking for ways to fool myself to forget or at the very least, ignore what I have known for a very long time." The room was filled with a repeating lub-dub, lub-dub sound. Or perhaps it felt that loud to her since she was closest to the organ that was beating so rapidly and fiercely, creating the sounds._

_"What… have you… known?" She could only whisper and hoped he had heard it over the ridiculously loud sound of her beating heart. He turned his face and this time, she saw the emotion in his eyes. It was so clear and so strong that she could not take it. All air left her lungs as he answered._

_"That I have feelings for you." Darkness began to cloud her vision. She needed air. She needed oxygen to supply her brain to survive. She needed to breathe. She took in a deep breath, like a diver emerging from water._

_"H… how…" She could not fathom what he had just said. It was impossible._

_"You have had my attention for years." He spoke in a soft but fond voice. "Since the first day we met, 3 years, 8 months and 23 days ago." She was shocked at his memory. How did he remember how many days it had been? How was it possible for someone to know the exact numbers?_

_"It was my first day at Domino High. I had decided to attend public school to set an example for Mokuba since I did not want him to be home schooled like me. I wanted him to be able to interact with other children since he had been isolated most of his life and was very shy. But also because I wanted to know the potential buyers for my products." Kaiba said honestly. "I was switching Kaiba Corp. from a weapons to a gaming company and I felt that I should study the market as closely as I could, so I could learn about the potential customers. I wanted to know all the ways to best use them for my own gain, to exploit their needs and natures to benefit me. I had no interest in the education that I would obtain. It or the graduation diploma had no value in my eyes." That was acceptable to Tea since it was very Kaiba-like._

_"I met you around afternoon, I think around 2:15pm. I had come to school during lunch because I had a meeting in the morning, and the principal was speaking with me, wasting my time with nonsense. I encountered many teens that day and they all pointed at me and whispered, especially the girls. They would giggle when I would pass and push each other towards me. I supposed they wanted to speak with me, but for some mind numbingly stupid reason, acted like buffoons and giggled." Tea remembered that. The news that the famous teen prodigy and millionaire was at their school in their school uniform, possibly as a student, had spread through the school faster than wildfire. It was the topic of conversation at every lunch table. Even her friends had talked about it, with Joey and Tristan wondering if they could befriend the millionaire and use his money for fun. But when they had returned to their class, they had not spotted the famous teen. They had guessed that perhaps he was in a higher grade. After all, he was a prodigy. But in the next period, he had appeared at the door, asking permission to enter the class, explaining that the reason for his tardiness was a meeting with the principal. He then handed a note from the principal to the teacher as proof and took a seat at the back of the class. His entrance had started whispers and giggling, but the teacher had silenced them with a loud smack of his ruler on the desk before resuming the lesson._

_"You were sitting in the third row from the wall facing the grounds, behind Yugi. The mutt was in the row beside you, sitting in the seat beside you and behind point dexter." Tea frowned at his specific referrals to her friends, but did not voice them. She did not dare disturb him right now._

_"I didn't know you then, nor did I pay any attention. At that time, you were just a body filling the room along with the rest of the idiots. You were part of the potential customers whom I planned to exploit. It was what happened after class that caused me to really see you." She wondered what special thing she had done to warrant his attention._

_"You came and talked to me, I think you wanted to welcome me. It was your way of being friendly, I later learned. But when you spoke to me, you did not stutter or blush. You looked me in the eyes and spoke to me. You offered me friendship with you and your friends and asked me if I wanted to speak with your friends as well. I was tempted to, believe me I was. In that one meeting that barely lasted a minute, you had successfully obtained my attention. But when I looked at your friends, I saw all guys." He paused there to let out a short chuckle. "Immediately I was put off. I did not want to compete with other men for your attention." Her eyes widened in shocked realization and he chuckled again. "Yes. I had barely spent a minute in your company but I had already become possessive. I did not want to share your attention or friendship with them. Back then, I wasn't the sharing type. I am not one now either, but I believe I have improved a bit." He supplied with a short smile. She did not close her mouth that was hanging open._

_"Though I refused your offer publicly, I never accepted the refusal privately. You were in my eyes now and I unconsciously paid attention to you. If you may recall, I changed my seat the very next day to be close to yours, so I could hear your conversations with your friends. I hate to admit it but I was jealous of your friends, and that jealousy turned into anger and dislike. I blamed their existence in your life for the lack of your presence in my life. Selfish, I know." He said with a sigh. "I insulted them to make myself feel better and superior, and even you must agree, your friends gave me plenty of opportunities and reasons. Because of my attention to you and your friends, I learned about Yugi's grandfather's card and you know what happened then." Oh yes, she knew it very well. Grandpa had been in the hospital for a full day. Yugi had been so upset. All of them had been upset and angry at Kaiba._

_"It changed the way you looked at me completely. There was dislike and distrust in your eyes now and it pained me." Kaiba continued. "But I always managed to convert the pain into anger and direct it back at you and your friends, well, your friends mostly. I blamed them, especially Yugi for poisoning your mind against me. After all, as far as I was concerned, I did nothing to you. You had no reason to be upset with me."_

_"My friends are like my family." Tea said and Kaiba smiled slightly._

_"I know. I learnt that during Duellist Kingdom, when you risked your safety in order to accompany and support Yugi and Wheeler. I was shocked to see you there." Kaiba admitted. "You weren't a duellist, and I had seen the list of all the participants. Your name was not there, and I knew Pegasus did not give you a special invite. I guessed that you had sneaked onto the island. I was furious with you for being so reckless, and with Yugi and the rest of your friends for letting you do that. But at that moment, Mokuba's safety was on my mind, so I ignored the nagging feeling at the back of my head to chide you and Yugi about the danger you were in. I told myself that if you were smart enough to sneak on the island, then you were smart enough to protect yourself as well. I just warned Yugi of Pegasus' power and left. I had to focus on my brother and my company." Tea just nodded like a dumb mute. She knew Kaiba had been concerned with Mokuba at that time, but he had actually been concerned about her as well? She tried to recall that time, but try as she might, she could not recall seeing concern in his eyes, not for her or her friends. He had just stared at them coldly and insulted them, like he usually did. But then again, Kaiba was a master of hiding his emotions. She had just learnt that he had been paying attention to her for the past few years, ever since he had met her, yet she had never suspected a thing. In fact, she had always felt that his focus was always Joey and Yugi, and she doubted he knew anything more about her other than her name. And here she was today, finding out that he knew a lot more than she could have imagined._

_"I was forced by Pegasus to confront Yugi and I saw you again. Needless to say I was relieved to see you safe. And then… well you know what happened next." Tea watched him turn his face away, in shame or regret, she did not know. But it was obvious it was not something he was proud of or wanted to discuss with her. And why would he? In the eyes of her friends, and perhaps in his own eyes as well, he had used an underhanded tactic to win the duel. He had manipulated Yugi into giving up. He had unfairly taken advantage of Yugi's kind heart and won the duel. It was not like the strong and honourable duellist they thought Kaiba to be, but then again, his brother's life was on the line, and he had chosen his little brother over his honour._

_"When you called Yugi to stop the attack, I…" Kaiba began again, "I was shocked. I thought you hated me for what I had done to your friends, and would be too glad to see me fall off the face of the earth. But of course, I was wrong. A part of me felt that you weren't cruel and didn't want to see me hurt; that you had stopped the attack for my sake, for my safety, for me. The selfish side of me wanted to believe it. But I knew it was for Yugi that you did it. You did not want him to regret his decision later. You knew him well, and knew he would second guess his decision, and ultimately blame himself entirely for my misfortune. You did not want him to suffer. It was all about Yugi."_

_"No." She felt the need to correct him. "It was never only about him. I… I was worried about you too." She admitted. "I knew that you would not risk your life for a stupid grudge, or just to win a duel. I knew that you must have a more important cause, and if you were willing to sacrifice your life for it, then I did not want to see you fail." She said, hoping he would stop looking at her with such soft surprise. "I wanted Yugi to win so he could save his grandfather, but not at the cost of your safety." A faint smile appeared on his lips._

_"Thank you." He said. "But whatever your reason was, you saved my life." She blushed in embarrassment. She had never considered that as saving his life. "But in the end, despite my determination, I failed to rescue Mokuba and Yugi ended up saving me and him." Tea sensed a bit of anger in his tone. His pride must have stung knowing that, and repeating it again._

_"And he did it again when he came to my company and beat the virtual reality game I was trapped in. I was disappointed in myself, not just because I had to be helped by others, but because I appeared weak. In both cases, you were there to see me being 'saved' by Yugi, and I was angry at myself for being so weak. I felt ashamed. I knew then why you liked Yugi so much and never could like me. Yugi came out on top no matter what. I…" He let out a scorned laugh. "I was jealous of a 4 foot midget." Tea openly frowned at him insulting her friend like that. "Defeating him and redeeming myself became a kind of obsession. That was the reason I created Battle City Tournament. I wanted to collect the god cards and defeat Yugi. I wanted to show the world and you that he was not invincible." Tea frowned again at his choice of words. She wanted to tell him that she never thought Yugi to be invincible. She had known Yugi for most of her life and knew all his strengths and weaknesses. Sure she had seen Yugi at his best, as a strong, powerful, and determined duellist and person, but she had also seen him at his lows, when he was defeated, hurt, and broken._

_"It was during Battle City that I realized I had feelings for you." He continued and she blushed again at his words. Sure he had said it before and she had had plenty of time to process it, but when he said it again, it sent powerful shivers through her body._

_"When I found out that you had risked your own safety to rescue Mokuba, I was grateful and felt indebted to you. I offered Yugi help in locating his friends and gave him a ride in my chopper. But it was not just because I felt indebted to you for helping my brother. No." He shook his head ruefully before finally meeting her gaze again. "I did it because I was worried about you." It felt as if thousands of butterflies had taken sudden birth in her stomach and were now causing funny feelings to arise. His simple and plain words were having such a powerful effect on her. "I feared that even if Yugi found you, it might be too late. Marik was a dangerous man and I did not want to take any chances with your safety. Using a chopper would get us there faster than any other form of transportation Yugi could have used. So I offered to take him there, and deep down, I hoped and prayed that we would get to you before Marik did something." His eyes softened and she saw disappointment house in them. "But unfortunately, we were still too late. Right before my unblinking, frozen eyes, you walked into a death trap." She had been under Marik's control so she did not know how her friends must have felt watching her willingly risk her safety. Of course, when she had come to, she had been afraid, more afraid than she had ever been, and not just because there was a high chance she might die, but because she was dying in a pathetic manner, and because her friends could die as well. It was a horrible feeling, waiting for your death that you knew would come, and knowing that all your loved ones would see it happen. She could imagine what her friends must have been feeling while watching her sit under a dangling crate, because she felt the same while watching Yugi and Joey duel._

_"It was then that I lost all rational thought but your safety." He admitted, his voice fierce with emotion. "I could not focus on anything else, not the duel, not my unattended chopper, not even my own safety. All I cared about was you… your safety."_

_"Kaiba…" She could only whisper his name in utter disbelief._

_"I… I was afraid." He admitted in a small voice, but did not withdraw his gaze from hers. It was as if time was moving backwards. It all came rushing back to her, and she vividly recalled seeing the same blue eyes that day, and just like that day, she was rendered speechless._

_"I wanted nothing more to do than to save you. I did not care about Yugi or Wheeler. All I was concerned about was you. But I knew I could do nothing, not until the duel was concluded. I knew you would never forgive me if I risked their safety to rescue you. So with my heart clenched in fear, I watched and waited. And when the opportunity came, I just reacted. I did not care that I was destroying a million dollar chopper which was my favourite mode of transportation, nor that I was risking my safety and my brother's future. The only thing possessing me was you and your well being." She was so overwhelmed with shock and emotion that she could barely breathe. This all seemed too surreal. It felt like she was in a movie of some sort. There was no way this could be real. This could not be happening to her. She was just an ordinary girl. Such stories of caring and devotion were reserved for novels or fairy tales, not for real life, and certainly not for her ordinary life. This just couldn't be._

_"But after it was done, after the adrenaline rush and the powerful wave of emotion was over, I was shocked at what I had done and what I had discovered. I immediately left because I could not look at you anymore." He admitted. "I could not… it was too… confusing and overwhelming. I did not want to believe it." He said in a frustrated voice. "I wanted there to be an alternate explanation, one that I could easily accept. I tried and tried to come up with that explanation but never succeeded. The truth was always there, staring at me in the face, mocking me and torturing me." He paused there to run a hand through his hair, perhaps in an attempt to calm himself. She wanted to comfort him, to ease his anguish and frustration, but she was lost on how to actually do it. In the end, she chose to remain silent._

_"I allowed you on the blimp because I did not want you to be targeted by rare hunters in the city. I felt that if you were near me, I would be able to keep an eye on you and protect you." Her eyes widened ever so slightly at his claim. "I blamed your friends, especially the mutt for your capture. He was too weak to protect you and ended up endangering your life." This one, she definitely wanted to refute. Joey was not weak. He would have done everything to help her but he had been tricked by Marik, just like her, and just like her, he had fallen victim to Marik's mind control. Her capture or subsequent fate was not his fault. She did not blame him for anything. She had chosen to stick with him in the tournament. Getting captured was her own fault. In fact, Joey had been captured because of her too. When the rare hunters had attacked them, Joey had been distracted by her. He had tried to save her from the rare hunters and had ended up getting beaten. If anything, she was to blame for their capture. But before she could inform Kaiba, he was already speaking._

_"But my effort to protect you only ended up putting you in more danger." His hands clenched in fists in anger. "Had I known that my snake of a step-father had plans to lure me into a trap, I would never have allowed you entry on the blimp." She was once again taken back by the intensity of his emotion. "I blamed your friends for endangering you and always claimed that I would do better, " He said in a rueful tone, "but in the end, I ended up doing the same." She opened her mouth to say that it was not his fault. He had not known what awaited them. But then again, her friends had not known anything either. If Kaiba blamed them, then he had no choice but to blame himself as well._

_"Even in the virtual world, Yugi ended up being the hero and saving everyone." Kaiba said bitterly. "And it just made me all the more determined to defeat him and prove to myself that he was not better than me." He sighed after that. "Battle City was a disappointment overall. I was angry at being defeated again and I did not want to see Yugi or the mutt for obvious reasons. But I wanted to avoid you too. So I did. I made any contact with you guys minimum. I skipped as many classes as I could under the excuse of meetings." She remembered that well. Joey was always complaining about Kaiba getting off easy when he missed the tests. But her and Yugi had been worried about the older Kaiba. They worried if he really was too pressured at work, and hoped that he would be able to solve whatever problems he was having. Now she just learned that Kaiba was skipping on purpose. Mentally she scoffed and crossed her arms in a stubborn manner. Joey was right. Kaiba was using the meetings and his company as an excuse to get out of school._

_"But the truth was that I was a coward. I did not have the courage to face them or you." His next words ended her negative feelings towards him and in came the fuzzy feelings again. "I always felt that my interest in you was purely out of curiosity and nothing more. But after that day at the docks, I learned that it was much more than that. And I became afraid." He admitted, albeit a bit hesitantly. "I was trained to be alone, to be independent so no one could learn my weaknesses and exploit them. I was taught not to trust anyone but myself, to not let anyone in. I isolated myself from everyone and thought myself guarded. But you just broke through the shield without even doing anything or knowing at all. And it scared me." Tea unconsciously nodded her head. She could only imagine what Kaiba must have felt after making that discovery. Hell, she could barely cope with it herself._

_"At first, I refused to acknowledge that there was anything between us, but when it became painfully obvious that it was not the case, I had to resort to a different strategy. I looked for reasons to not pursue you." She noticed an amused glint appearing in his eyes. "But every time I came up with a "valid" reason, you came in and just smashed it to dust." Her curiosity rose. This she wanted to hear. Apparently, she had done much to Kaiba without her knowledge and intention and she wanted to know how she had overcome his limitations of her._

_"I told myself that you were just like the other girls but you changed that view during the first few seconds of our first meeting." She nodded, recalling what he had said minutes ago. "Then I told myself that you were careless and un-ambitious, but your attitude in school and your determination of getting into dance school, even going so far as getting a job at that ridiculous Burger World proved I was wrong again." She momentarily wondered how he had known about her job, but if anything Kaiba had proven today, it was that he knew a lot more than he led on._

_"I told myself that you hated me after what I did to Yugi's grandfather, but your actions during Duellist Kingdom told me I was wrong again. I told myself that you were not brave or strong, but your action and decision to save Mokuba showed me I was wrong… again. I was running out of excuses at that point." She almost smiled at his declaration. "I was so desperate that I targeted your lack of duelling abilities. But your duel with Crump in Virtual World showed me that I was wrong again." Tea beamed with pride. She was particularly proud of her performance in that duel. She had defeated a grown man and saved her body from a pervert who would have, no doubt, spent a lot of time 'getting to know himself' had he won the duel. The only downside was that now when she saw penguins, she shivered. Thankfully, there weren't any penguins in Domino except in the Zoo._

_"I used up every excuse I could think of, from the colour of your hair to the style of your shoes." Tea wasn't sure if she should laugh or frown at that. "In the end, I knew there was only one reason that would prove effective." He paused there; for dramatic effect she wondered. But she could not wait._

_"What was it?" She asked, hoping she didn't sounded too eager or desperate. His eyes bore into hers as they hardened considerably._

_"I told myself that you had feelings for Yugi." This hit her like a ton of bricks. What? How could he think that? How could anyone think that? Yugi was her friend. They were friends. She had never given Yugi or anyone else any indication that she had any sort of romantic interest in Yugi. It was insane for someone to assume that. Kaiba must have been very desperate to believe that._

_"Why else would you continue to be with a midget who looked like a pre-pubescent boy with ridiculous hair?" Oh that was low. Yugi had gotten his growth spurt a bit later than the other guys, but no one had the right to insult him for that. It had not been his fault._

_"Yugi is an amazing person. He has many good qualities despite his lack of height." She defended her absent friend. Kaiba nodded his head._

_"I figured as much, and to me, it was all the more reason you would be interested in him." She suddenly realized that she had not refuted his idea of their romantic relationship. She opened her mouth to tell him but stopped. If Kaiba was telling her everything, maybe he knew that her and Yugi were just friends. Why else would he divulge all this to her? So she chose to remain silent and see what happened next. If need be, she would set his misconception straight._

_"I could see many reasons why you would be interested in him and I accepted it. It worked for me because it warded off against my thoughts of you. I did not want to compete with Yugi anymore, especially when it appeared that he had already won." She frowned and felt that perhaps now was the time to tell him that there was nothing going on between her and Yugi. She opened her mouth but having already expected her to speak, he held up his hand._

_"I know what you are going to say, but at that time it didn't matter to me. All that mattered was that I had a reason that worked. I no longer had to avoid you or the rest of the geek squad. I could go back to mocking and insulting the mutt and point dexter, and life would be normal again."_

_"Wait a minute." Tea said. "Are you saying that insulting my friends and I is part of your normal life? That in a sick and twisted way, we are a part of your life?" He chuckled fondly._

_"Yes. I am saying that." He openly admitted. Oh if only Joey was here. He would gloat and mock Kaiba for having the very people he detested a part of his normal life._

_"Over time, I have come to admit a lot of things." Kaiba said. "In the beginning, you and your friends were nothing but a bother. Yugi was a constant pain in my side. You were an itch I couldn't scratch, and Wheeler was a fly that would not leave me no matter how much or how hard I swatted it." Tea's mouth was open in shock, but this was shock of indignation. An itch? She was an itch? How dare he?_

_"But I have come to realize that these are things that have proven good for me." Kaiba continued, smiling amusedly at her reaction. "Yugi is still a constant pain in my side but it continually reminds me that I am human. You are an itch I don't want to scratch because you caused me to discover a part of me I did not know I had. And Wheeler is the annoying fly that distracts me from the boring and monotonous routine that is my life." Still an itch. She was still a damn itch._

_"I think it is time for dessert." He said out of the blue, completely shattering the atmosphere their previous conversation had set. "The head chef did not have time to make an Italian dessert or any dessert for that matter, but I believe there is some ice-cream in the freezer." He said causally and walked towards the doors that led them out of the room. "Come on Gardner." He said, looking over his shoulder as he held the door open. "You can gawk at my brilliant new invention later." His arrogant smirk and retreating back caused her to think that perhaps what had just happened was an illusion, a figment of her imagination, a deeply hidden part of her subconscious that had just surfaced. The Kaiba she had been dealing for the past few minutes was imaginary, and the jerk who had called her an itch was the real deal. Huffing in indignation, she followed him into the kitchen. He was standing before the freezer, hand shoved in to take out the ice-cream. She took a seat on the stool closest to him besides the centre island._

_"We have vanilla, French vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chip, strawberry, cherry, cookies and cream, vanilla fudge almond, chocolate almond, rocky road, coffee, and peanut butter." He raised his head from the freezer door to raise a questioning eyebrow at her and was met with her baffled expression._

_"Mokuba went grocery shopping without me." He explained and she giggled, imagining the kid's excitement at picking whatever he wanted._

_"Hmm… whatever you are having." She said. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion at her but then his head disappeared behind the freezer door again before emerging with a box. He was careful not to let her see what he had chosen. Only when he handed her the bowl did she see what he had chosen._

_"You did not tell me you had this." She shot accusingly at him, watching him innocently take a spoon of the Neapolitan. He smiled angelically, which scared her to ends before answering._

_"I did not intend to. This is my favourite and I was planning to keep it from you." This man really was an enigma. He was confusing. One minute he was nice and the next minute, he was back to being a selfish jerk._

_"I guess I ruined your plan then didn't I?" She said hotly, shoving her spoon harshly in the colourful delight. "I hope I destroyed another one of your ridiculous expectations." Kaiba only smirked and continued eating. For the next few minutes, there was no conversation and both enjoyed their dessert. Finally, Tea asked the one question that had been bugging her for a long time._

_"Why now Kaiba?" She asked. He merely raised an eyebrow, so she clarified. "You hid it for so many years, so why tell me all this now?"_

_"Because I refuse to wait any longer." He replied. "I held myself back primarily because of Yugi. I waited and waited and he has yet to make a move." She wanted so desperately to tell him that he had it all wrong. Yugi was never going to make any moves because he didn't have any feelings for her. They were just friends, but Kaiba was on a roll at that moment and didn't give her enough time to formulate the thought process to speak, let alone actually speak._

_"And why should I wait?" Kaiba said in a raised voice. "Why should I give in to Yugi? I fought with him so hard for small things such as a duelling title, but for this which is more important to me than any title, I gave in without even trying. I took the coward's way out and just handed Yugi the victory. But I am not a coward." His hand gripped the bowl tightly and she feared it might break under his grip. "I am Seto Kaiba." His eyes bore into hers and she felt charred by the intensity in those icy blue eyes. "I never give up or give in. I fight for what I want and I don't let anything stand in my way. And I want you." The bowl slipped from her shaking hands and almost fell on her lap but by some miracle, she managed to save her dress._

_"I desire you Tea Gardner. I have wanted you for a long time, and I will not wait any longer." The honesty, the rawness, the passion in his words and eyes had her heart beating a 1000 beats a minute. Her lungs gasped for air as she let out a series of short, rapid breaths. Her heart beat against her ribs and she could literally feel the muscle straining to break through the bone and fall to the ground. Her chest heaved from the effort to breath as her brain processed what he had said, and most importantly, how he had said it._

_He wanted her. Such simple and plain words yet they were causing mayhem in her mind. How was this possible? How could he want her? The words shared during this evening rang through her head like million bells chiming at the same time. It was overwhelming. It was overpowering. It was unbelievable. It was… simply impossible._

_"This… I…" She gasped for air that refused to stay in her lungs. She longed to calm her heart that had been on a roller coaster ride since this evening began. She needed some sort of control, for her sanity's sake. She needed to make sense of things or she would surely go insane._

_But all resolve, all effort, all determination crumbled to the ground when he stepped closer to her. Oh he smelled delicious. His cologne added to the list of things that were currently overpowering her._

_"Tell me Tea." Her knees buckled as he said her name in a heated whisper. Her hands trembled and this time, the ice-cream bowl slipped but his large and warm hand was right there to steady it again in her small, trembling hand. "Do you have any feelings for Yugi?" Eyes locked with his, she was tongue tied, so she slowly shook her head, unblinking and afraid that if she made any fast movements, this dream, this illusion would shatter._

_He smirked and her heart did a summersault. She gasped when he very gently placed his hand in her hair, feeling the silky strands run through his fingers. She felt her vision darken. Her head was becoming dizzy. This was too much for her, too much too fast. His hand sensually moved down and rested on her neck, cupping it ever so carefully, his thumb running over the side before resting on silky smooth, heated flesh. Seconds ticked by and none made a move. His smirk widened._

_"110 beats per minute." He said and she realized he had just measured her heart rate through his thumb that was on her erratically quivering pulse. Was her heart really beating that fast? Whatever it was, she felt it increase even more as he leaned in to whisper in her ear._

_"Are you afraid Tea?" He did not remove his lips from the shell of her ear, in a way, forcing her to verbally respond._

_"N… no." She squeaked and felt his lips stretch, into a smirk or smile, she wasn't sure._

_"Good." He whispered before moving away from her ear only to come a hair breadth from her lips, locking eyes with her once again._

_"Kaiba…" She whispered like a blushing virgin. His eyes melted into pools of heat and she felt her every bone melt._

_"I am going to kiss you now Tea." He declared, moving even closer so that his lips were grazing hers. "Stop me now if you don't want this." And it was then that her heart exploded. The last thing she felt was a screaming loud heart beat before everything was calm and quiet._

_His surprisingly soft lips were moving over hers like molten lava, slow and sensual, and scorching and deadly in effect. She moaned before her hands automatically lifted up to bury in his hair. The ice-cream bowls laid forgotten as a more delicious treat was shared by the two._

End flashback

That had been her first of many mind blowing kisses from Seto Kaiba, and on his kitchen island too. It had once been a treasured memory, but it was nothing more than a ghost of the past now, its beauty marred by the ugly reality she was forced to face.

"Why are you bringing up the past Kaiba, things that no longer matter?" She asked, but her voice was not as hard as she would have liked it to be.

"Because I want to end it." He replied, being ever so clear. "I want to end the games we have been playing Tea. I want to put an end to the ridiculous illusions that we have of each other, or at least what you think of me and us."

"I am under no illusion." She clarified. "It is you who needs a reality check." He smirked in a knowing way and earning bells rang in her mind.

"Tell me Tea, do you remember how your heart beat when we used to kiss? Do you recall how you used to fall against me when I would touch you? How you body used to tremble when I would whisper sweet things in your ears as you lay in my arms at night? Do you remember all that?" No, she didn't, her mind repeated over and over. It was too long ago. She no longer felt that, no longer remembered how that must have felt. No, she had erased all that from her mind. She had gotten rid of her weaknesses, of his effect on her a long time ago. She was no longer effected by him.

"Does Alistair do that to you?" His next question had her confused and surprised. Was he comparing himself to Alistair, or did he want her to make the comparison? Was he so confident in his abilities that he thought that he could prove to be a better man, a more skilled lover?

"Does he make your heart race when you kiss? Does he make your breath hitch when you touch? Does he make you tremble with pleasure with nothing more than mere words?" Of course he did, she thought. He must have. He… she tried to think back to their first date, their first kiss, their first night together… but found that the intensity of her reactions was not as strong as it had been with Kaiba on that fateful day. But there were many reasons for that, she reasoned. Back then, she had been a bumbling virgin, in mind and body. She had been innocent and unaware. She had never had such intimate contact with a male. Kaiba had been her first in every sense. Her reactions and their intensity were uncontrolled.

With Alistair, she had had much experience. By the time she had met Alistair, she had suffered heart break and had strengthened her heart. She was no longer a blushing maiden. She was no longer innocent. She had learnt to not let her emotions get control of her. She had grown. So it made sense that her reactions to Alistair's ministrations were less intense. It made perfect sense.

"Judging from your expression, I would say that the answer is no." Seto said with a triumphant smirk. She frowned.

"Our circumstances were different." She clarified, or was she justifying? "I was an actress when we met. I was well versed in emotions and controlling them."

"I didn't ask if you expressed them. I asked if you felt them." His smirk widened ever so slightly as if he had caught her in a trap. In response, her frown deepened.

"I can't feel that way anymore. I have learnt not to, or better yet, trained not to." She said hotly. "If I melted at every man's touch, I would not be a successful actress."

"Alistair is not 'every man'." Seto said and she felt the trap shut. "He is supposedly your lover."

"He _is_ my lover." She growled.

"And yet you don't feel passion for him."

"I told you I can't—."

"Liar." He growled, losing control for the first time since they had met today. "You can regulate how you express what you feel but you can't control what you feel. You taught me that. And its time I reminded you." He took a step towards her. Her heart lurched and she automatically took a step back.

"What are you doing?" She asked, panic rising in her voice as he continued moving towards her at a fast pace.

"I am going to prove to you that you can still feel the passion you once felt." Before she could run, he was on her, his arm around her waist to secure her writhing form against his heated one.

"Let me go." She demanded, using her free hand, since one was trapped by his wrapped arm, to pry him off her. But he was superior in strength. He managed to grab that hand and secure it within his hand that was wrapped around her waist, thus effectively trapping both her arms.

"Let me go Kaiba." She said again, but this time, the tone was less demanding.

"No." He simply replied. He leaned forward and buried his face in her hair, bridging any gap between their bodies that was present before. It was as if the wheel of time had reversed and she was back to being innocent and inexperienced. Her heart thumped violently against her rib cage, bruising her insides with the force with which it beat. Her breathing turned erratic. Black spots threatened her vision. Dizziness overtook her mind. All rational escaped her mind. She could think nothing, feel nothing but the heat of his body scorching hers, the texture of his callous hand holding her smooth wrist securely yet tenderly, the sensation of his breath on her ear and neck as he took in her scent. Shivers ran down her spine as his voice assaulted her ear.

"I always loved the smell of jasmines on you." She was speechless, tongue-tied due to the intensity of what was happening to her.

"You think that we are over." He whispered heatedly, his grip on her tightening. "But you are wrong. We are not over. We have never been over. You are still affected by my ministrations, by my presence, by my voice, by my touch." His hand went to brush through her hair, feelings the longer strands slide over his fingers and fall in elegant waves. Her body trembled as his hand ghosted over the skin of her neck before cupping it, his thumb brushing the flesh tantalizingly. "You still tremble due to the force of emotions I arouse in you." He lifted his face from her hair and brought it face to face with her, his nose brushing hers.

"Are you afraid Tea?" He asked, smirking when no words came out of her mouth. There was a moment's pause before Tea slowly shook her head, not breaking gaze.

"I am going to kiss you now." He declared, just like he had done so years ago on the same day. "Stop me now if you want or God help me I won't be able to stop myself." The intensity, the honesty, the heat in his voice was too much to bear that her knees buckled and she fell limp against him, being held up only by his grip on her waist. Thoughts zoomed in her head like speeding cars, words resounding, warnings thundering, panic deafening, and then… it was all gone. It was all silent and calm as his lips brushed against hers, slowly and sensually, as if testing the waters before taking the plunge. All rational thought, all restraint, all control was forgotten as her very own lips betrayed her, responding to his gentle coaxing and moving against his. It was as if a dam had broken and she was caught in the way. With unimaginable and probably unmatchable force, Seto attacked her lips, nearly knocking her backwards from the force with which he pressed his lips against her. No longer were his lips soft and sensual, but they were rough and demanding as they devoured hers with greed and want. His tongue rushed into her mouth, caressing every corner, feeling every nook and crevice, exploring and recalling as well as inciting pleasure that curled her every toe. And she responded. She responded to every probe of his tongue, every sweep of his lips. Every action, every moan, she responded to in a way she shouldn't have. But there was no coherent thought being composed in her mind, no logical reaction being thought, because there was no rational mind to do so. All was lost save the sensation and the pleasure.

Finally, after an eternity of unleashed passion, Seto pulled away but just enough to lock eyes with her hooded ones again.

"120 beats per minute." He claimed triumphantly. "I just beat my own record."

Smack.

The sound of a slap rang loud in their ears over the crashing waves and the howling wind. Violently, Tea separated herself away from Seto and turned on her heel, running as fast as her legs would carry her. Never once did she slow down or turn, disappearing from sight within a few seconds.

Seto rubbed his stinging cheek gently while trying to contain a huge smile.

"Happy anniversary Tea."

...

* * *

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Please review and let me know what you think.


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